


David

by SupremeMeme



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series), Coraline (2009), Coraline - All Media Types, Coraline - Neil Gaiman
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coraline Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bittersweet Ending, Complicated Relationships, Crossover, Death, Dom/sub, Fluff and Angst, Forced Marriage, Gay, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent-Child Relationship, Passion, Sex, Sexual Confusion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-04-14 15:08:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14138622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SupremeMeme/pseuds/SupremeMeme
Summary: Autumn has finally arrived, signaling the end of summer and all its glory. This also means that David Greenwood, a fanatic camp counselor, is left to spend the rest of the year employed with a different job. As he begins his job hunt, he moves to his new home in Ashland, Oregon, to the infamous Pink Palace Apartments. There's something unusual lurking inside the place; something a few of the neighbors would prefer not to talk about. Especially after the owner’s twin sister went missing in David’s very room.It is only here that David realises his life has yet to truly begin.(Feat. David as Coraline, not Max! Also served with a side of twisted ending. I wanted to try something new.)





	1. Moving In

**Author's Note:**

> This will be very different from the usual Coraline AU, as David will take the place of Coraline. I will be loosely basing this fanfiction off of the movie and I will have my own twists and turns, since it will be different(as David won’t have any Other parents to find appealing, such as Coraline does in the movie). However, aspects of the original movie and plotline will still take place.
> 
> BE AWARE THAT THE STORY WILL BRANCH OFF FROM CORALINE TOWARDS THE END!^^
> 
> ALSO I will try to update weekly!! Hopefully, lmao;;^^  
> ~~~
> 
> “She just wants something to love.”

“This is the new place, huh? Gosh, it’s so old.”

“Please move out of the way, Mr. Greenwood.”

“Oopsies! Sorry about that, sir! I’ll watch from the side instead!”

It was a dreary day in Ashland, Oregon. High above, the skies were a dark gray, scenting the air with the thick smell of rain. The trees in the mountains nearby whispered softly, groaning eagerly as they awaited the light rainfall that was sure to ensue later, their creaking trunks dancing slowly from side to side. David Greenwood inhaled deeply, a smile blossoming upon his pale, freckle-dusted face. There was a time when the rain bothered David, when it so roughly flattened his fluffy, upright auburn hair to his forehead and put him in an awful mood. Now, however, he didn’t quite mind it, as long as he wasn't caught up in the middle of it. The rain was a welcoming break from the sun he had been exposed to all summer at his seasonal job as a camp counselor. Though he would miss that lovely, familiar place, he knew very well that change was always a welcoming and positive thing to look forward to.

Although, David was not entirely sure how he felt about this new home. It gave him the creeps just looking at the building because of all the problems it seemed to obtain. The Pink Palace Apartments were obviously old, with its worn-out, salmon painted rotting wood that was falling off in some places. The shingles of the small apartment complex were hanging loosely off the roof, some even scattered on the porch below and in the front garden, which was quickly decaying and dying in the light of the new season that was fast approaching. The garden itself was very beautifully designed although old, with the stone walkways and the rotted wooden bridge that curved over a little, dried up creek. Other than the many flaws and forsure inspection-failing issues, the apartment building was styled in a cute architectural design that would please any of its residents.

“Why’d you choose a hellhole like this one, Mr. Greenwood?” asked one of the movers as he carried one of David’s boxes into the door of the his new home, the mover’s dull and tired eyes pausing on him for a minute.

The joyful young man gave a soft chuckle, smiling a little. “Well, I thought I’d give it a try, y’know? Give this town a try, I mean! I saw a few job openings in the area and thought I’d look around. Golly, this place really needs a bundle of positivity thrown its way, don’t you think?”

The mover eyed David skeptically, a little bewildered by his response. Not everyday did someone get to see someone such as David. It was surreal how excitable this boy was. “...Right. Sure, whatever you say, Mr. Greenwood. Hope you enjoy this place.” The older man dropped the box a little too roughly for David’s liking on top of another stack of boxes that were packed full of the red-haired man’s belongings. “Now, sign here and this place is yours.”

“Sure thing!” said David with an excited tone, examining the paperwork without hesitance and scribbling down his signature. The men moving his boxes inside gathered their things and left, leaving David alone to unpack by himself.

“It’s going to be a long day,” he murmured to himself, taking his first step into the apartment as he readied himself for the dreaded unboxing.

\-----

David Greenwood didn’t discover the door until later that night.

After a lot of unpacking and moving things around, the young man was finally learning to accept the fact that this was his new home and this is where he would be staying for the next few months. _Even if it’s...kind of...gross,_ he thinks, pulling back the shower curtain to reveal a dozen of little cockroaches climbing across the bland, gray tile walls. Slowly, he set down his bottle of shampoo and conditioner, backing away from the critters. _This is fine. I can flip the place a little bit, make it feel more like the camp and more like home._

David made his way into the ugly white kitchen and sat down with a yawn. He stretched his slender and pale arms, resting his head down on the small dining table in an attempt to get a little bit of much needed rest. Moving was hard work, and the long drive to Oregon was stressful. Nothing David couldn't handle, but it was certainly something he wasn't used to. _Oh, before I take a quick nap, I should probably make something for dinner._ As he was pondering what exactly to make, he heard his doorbell ring; a muffled and weak _ding!_ echoing through silent the halls.

Startled, David jumped up and rushed to the front door, swinging it open in a flurry. Then he paused, brows dipping downwards in a small, bemused frown. “Huh?”

There wasn't anything there except for the wind that let itself inside the apartment and the strong smell of rain that still lingered in the chilly evening air.

“Hello?” David called, leaning forward and peering around the sides of the doorframe, wondering what in the world could of made the doorbell ring if nobody was present.

Dismissing it as something he had merely imagined, the young man gripped the handle and began to close the door. However, a blur of something black dashing off into the complex’s garden ahead caught David’s emerald gaze. Curiosity plagued his mind and he stepped out of his small home, now determined to find the source of movement.

So, into the garden David went, keeping an eye out for the creature that had sparked his interest. Humming a soft song he used to sing to the kids at camp, the man strolled along the winding stone pathways, growing more and more tense with each step. All of the dead flowers, bushes and shrubs, once examined up close, filled David with dread and he wondered for a moment if anyone even took care of it in the summer. The darkening sky did not help at all with the uneasiness of the place either, and the fact that it would be night soon made the man squirm.

 _Oh, it'll be fine,_ he told himself, his arms snaking their way around his sides in comfort, _this place isn't that spooky._ Almost immediately after the thought crossed his mind, he spotted more movement up on the hillside of a section of the pebble pathway, behind a clump of boulders. _Or maybe it is! Gah!_

“Hello? Is someone there?” David called, coming to a halt just at the foot of the hill. Then in a move of half self-defense, half fear, the he picked up a small rock lying near his feet. David clutched it hard before chucking it over the other side of the stones upon the hill. The rock must of hit something, because an angry scream of pain burst out from behind it.

Echoing the noise in a pitch levels higher than the original, David shrieked and sprinted off in the opposite direction he came. His feet, having a mind of their own, didn't stop until he reached what looked like a dead end; the path had died off and all there was to lay his timid green eyes upon was an odd circle of little red mushrooms with nothing but mud in the middle. He paid no mind to it, only concerned with what was currently at hand.

_What was that?! An animal? A person? A...monster?!_

His thoughts ran wild along with his breath, which he was unable to catch in his panicked state. David took a few frightened steps forward towards the tiny circle, surveying the area in the process. _Did that thing follow me?_

After a moment of scouting his surroundings, David leaned against a long-dead tree trunk besides the little mushrooms and rubbed his face anxiously.

It was silent.

Too silent.

Then,

“Who the _fuck_ are you, what are you doing here, and why the _hell_ would you throw a goddamn rock at me?!”

David screamed again-this time it was loud enough to shatter glass- and leapt upwards in a fear, his rear bumping against the wood behind him. “W-W-Wh-” he started, eyes wide as he watched a little boy walk out of the bushes nearby, ruffling his jet-black hair in a poor attempt to remove any stray leaves. His complexion was dark and his blue hoodie was stained with a few mud streaks across the front. From what David could tell, the kid looked about the age of ten. _What's a little boy doing out here?_

“I didn't know there was a kid up there!” David huffed, blinking multiple times and taking a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. His hands shook and he tried to awkwardly hide them behind his back. “Gosh, I'm so sorry!”

“You better be,” the boy snapped in umbrage, crossing his arms as he made his way over to the older man, “that's gonna leave a bruise on my forehead.”

“Do you want me to get you some ice? I live in nearby and I could grab you some! Wait, where are your parents-?”

“ _Shut up,_ dumbass! I'm fine. Plus, what stupid kid would go with a stranger to their house?” The boy’s narrowed bright cyan eyes locked onto David’s emerald ones. They flamed with hatred. “Also, you never answered my other questions. I asked first.”

Pursing his lips together, David answered him meekly, still a little shaken up: “My name is David! I just moved into the Pink Palace Apartments right down this hill.”

“Well, David, I can't wait to see you fall into that well right there. Damn, I bet that’d be funny. It's already great hearing an adult man scream like a little girl.”

At the kid’s words, the David flushed a light crimson, deeply embarrassed. Then, confusion flashed across his face. “Wait. Well?”

The boy nodded and pointed at David’s mud-coated tennis shoes. “Yeah, right there.”

At once, the red-head leapt backwards, yelping. He hadn't realised that he had somehow made his way into the middle of the ring of morel. Once David backed off, the dark-skinned boy knelt down and dug away at the dirt, revealing a mossy wooden hatch in the center. He knocked on it, smirking up at David. “See? It's supposed to be so deep that if you fell down it and looked up, you’d see a sky full of stars and the moon in the middle of the day.”

The David had leaned forward in awe as the child spoke. For some reason, stars fascinated him. “Really?”

“No, you fucking idiot,” he snorted, shaking his head as he stood. The little kid chuckled, clearly amused with the whole situation.

“Hey, language,” David muttered, finding this child a bit tedious, albeit cute. After the boy gave him a sharp glare, David sighed with a smile and asked, “What's your name?”

“Max.”

“That's such a nice name!” David exclaimed, ruffling Max’s thick curly hair. “So, where's your parents? They might be concerned with your absence.”

Max scowled, smacking David’s hands away. “Why do you care?”

“Well, a little kid like yourself shouldn't be outside in such weather. You might catch a cold!”

“Whatever, David,” the boy said, wrinkling his nose and shoving his hands into the pockets of his dirty hoodie. “Make sure you don't die or something while I'm gone. You seem like the stupid, childish type.” With a glance down at the trapdoor of the well, Max gave David one last fiery glare before running off, back into the wilderness from where he emerged.

Surprised, David stumbled after him, though stopping at the edge of the treeline of the forest. “Hey, Max, wait! Where are you going?!”

David’s shouts were futile.

Max was gone.

“Gosh darn it,” David sighed softly, scratching the nape of his neck, “I hope he’ll be okay. I'm sure if he learned some manners, he’d be the best kid!”

Briefly, David wondered what it would like to be a father. Max’s parents must either not care about his whereabouts or give him too much freedom. _I’d want to know where my child is at all times,_ he thinks, crossing his arms. _I’d smother them in love all the time to make sure they felt appreciated!_ David grinned at the thought, feeling slightly giddy. He wouldn't mind having a child like Max, too. _Max seems like he really could be a great kid. I hope I see him again…!_

The young man’s smile of hope faltered a little as a rumble of thunder growled overhead, followed by the expected downpour of rain that was long overdue.

The trek back to his apartment was rough even though David was a pro-camper. Just because he knew Mother Nature like the back of his hand did not mean that he didn't find mud gross and slimy, or find the sensation of the freezing water gluing his clothing to his skin uncomfortable. He climbed up the few steps to his front door, all the positive emotions from a few moments ago escaping from him. This wasn't at all what the redhead meant when he said he welcomed the rain.

David reached for the doorknob, deciding he desperately needed to take a hot shower and retire for the night when he spotted a long object wrapped up tightly in wads of newspapers lying on the welcome mat. He stopped, bending over to swipe the thing up and take a closer gander at it. _What's this?_ he asked himself, unwrapping the paper to reveal a small doll.

“What the heck is this?” This time, he spoke aloud, rolling the thing back and forth inside it's wrapping as he did so. The doll was an exact replica of David himself, from the poofy auburn hair to his brown tennis shoes complete with knee-high socks and shorts. It was surprisingly cute, even with the eerie green button eyes. David, in admiration, hugged the plush tightly to his soaked chest with the biggest grin plastered on his face. “I'll cherish this!” he shouted to the crying sky above, knowing there probably wasn't anyone around to personally thank for the gift.

As the newspaper fell away from the doll in David’s grip, so did a note. He noticed this and crouched down, picking it up and reading the messy handwriting that was written across the slip of paper.

_‘Hey, dumbass. I found this. Looks like you, don't it? Fucking creepy if you ask me. Might as well give it to you, as much as I'd like to use it as some kind of voodoo doll._

_-Max’_

David shook his head, moving his damp red hair out of his eyes as he did so. _Max seriously needs to watch his language....where’d he even learn that?_ He slid the note into his pocket and gave the little David in his arms another smile.

“Who the hell were you talking to?”

Yelping, David spun around, still clutching the plush in his hand. _Gosh, will I ever get a break from all these jumpscares?_

Before him now stood the grim face of a woman he had never seen before. She was slightly tanned, her eyes a dark, unusual violet and full of exhaustion. The woman’s amber hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail as if she had just escaped from a pack of wild animals, adding to her already dead-looking complexion.

“Uh…” the young man started, at a loss for words. He didn’t think anyone would hear him, since the rain was now coming down on the roof pretty hard, drowning out most sound other than the rhythmic beating of the rain. “Just myself, I guess. Someone left this gift on my porch, so…”

“A doll?” the woman questioned, crossing her arms and gazing at it suspiciously. “Why did someone leave something like _that?_ Do you even know who did?”

David nodded, tilting his head to the side ever so slightly. “I don’t really know the whole story of why he left it besides the fact it looks like me, but this little kid named Max left it for me!”

“Maxwell?”

“Well...he said his name was Max, nothing more. But maybe?”

“Must be,” she says, sighing a little in annoyance. “You’re new here, right? I just saw you move in today. Max’s this brat who runs around, pestering everyone who lives here and the surrounding area. Thinks making fun of people is fun.” She shakes her head, grunting. Her eyes flashed with hatred, then they softened into extreme guilt. Then she blinked it away, facing David. “I wouldn’t mess with him. He’ll come back to bite you in the ass in the end.”

David nodded at her, listening as she spoke. He smiled faintly, responding with, “I don’t think he’s that big of a deal. Maybe he’ll come around with the right guidance?”

“Yeah, right,” the brunette mumbled, rolling her eyes. It seemed she wanted to change the subject. It seemed touchy for her. “Anyway, I’m Gwen. You are…?”

“David! Nice to meet you, Gwen! Hopefully we’ll become best friends!” he exclaimed with a pantomime. Gwen just shrugged, not looking amused. “Whatever,” she says, turning and heading back out into the rain. David waved goodbye as she shouted up at him over the rain, “Don’t bother your neighbors with your troublesome outbursts, ‘kay?”

“Sure thing, Gwen!”

With that, she was gone, disappearing into the night. Still smiling, David wandered back inside his apartment with his doll, glad he got to meet one of his neighbors. The red-head locked the door behind him, set the doll on the kitchen counter before heading upstairs to take a shower. Inside, he slid off his clothes, got rid of the rest of the vulgar bugs and cleaned himself off. It took a few minutes, but eventually he got used to the water being a strange putrid yellow color.

After he finished up drying and dressing, David headed now towards his room, too tired to care about making the long forgotten dinner he had begun to plan before his mini adventure.

“Wait a second,” he said, ceasing before he made it to his room, “where's little me?”

Thoughts and movements sluggish and scattered from lack of sleep, he turned around and went downstairs to the kitchen, looking for his new companion that would keep him company throughout the night. But it was missing from the spot the man remembered _specifically_ placing it in.

His eyebrows knitted together in his sudden daze. _Okay, I don't understand. Is Max playing a trick on me? I didn't hear him come inside…_ David shook his head, exploring the mostly empty place, on a hunt for the plush or anything suspicious. He found this incredibly strange; if Max isn't in here, then how did the doll move? _Am I hallucinating? Am I really that tired? Goodness, I'm definitely going to head to bed after this. No more shenanigans!_

Eventually, he found it in the living room, leaning on a slender box he had yet to unpack.

“Max?” came David’s unsure whisper as he got down on his pink knees in front of the box. He shoved it aside, the doll tumbling to the ground. Max wasn't there behind it, but instead there was an outline of the small door. The ill-favored wallpaper had been placed over it for some odd reason, so the red-haired man was unable to directly open it.

Picking up the doll, David realised that now he’d have to see what was behind it or he wouldn't be able to get any sleep. _Gosh darn it!_ He chuffed, leaving the room. As tired as he was, nothing could stop his curiosity.

Oddly enough, there was a key in one of the drawers in the kitchen that looked different, mistakenly misplaced among the rest. It was a black key, the tip of it round and in the shape of a button. David peered down at his doll, giggling softly. “Are you trying to tell me something?” he asked jokingly, not expecting an answer. When those button eyes didn't blink back at him like he predicted, David closed the squeaky drawer and found himself seated in front of the tiny door again, mysterious key in hand. With four quick slices of the indented wallpaper, the little door was visible. The red-head inserted the key and turned, hands quivering with anxiety. With a little click, the secret door creaked open. David gasped.

“What a load of _hooey_!”

It was just a wall of red bricks. They were new and probably the newest thing inside the entire apartment building.

David stood, holding the doll in one hand and gripping the key in the other. He set the key on the ledge of the fireplace, quickly glancing at the picture frame above it-a slightly grotesque painting of a sad boy holding an empty ice cream cone, it's previously delicious contents spilled out on the ground in front of him-before turning and hurrying back up the stairs.

 _No more distractions. Time to sleep,_ David told himself relentlessly, sliding into his bed he had had time to unpack and clasped the doll of himself to his thin chest once more. Stifling a pitiful yawn, the auburn-haired man closed his eyes slowly, letting sleep drown him in its welcoming warm waters.

Unfortunately, he didn't get to rest long, for that little doll had something special planned for him that night.


	2. The Other David

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo! Managed to pull out a chapter in a short amount of time!!
> 
> Also, thanks for the kudos and the comment!!! Ahhh it makes me so happy to see that people enjoy this :D even if it's a little different than the usual Max as Coraline.

“Huh? What's that noise…?” 

David groaned, slowly sitting up on the mattress and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What time is it?” his husky, exhaustion-laced voice mumbled out. He looked around, frowning a little as his senses came to. The doll was missing and the young man spotted a little creature on the ground beside his bed.  _ What? Why is there a platypus in my room?! _

It squeaked, staring up at him with its beady, black eyes. Upon seeing the green of David’s own eyes, the little mammal spun around and scurried out of the room on its webbed paws.

Instantly, the red-haired man was on his feet, scrambling after the platypus. David wanted to catch the animal and let it outside, afraid it might hurt itself inside the apartment. The safety of animals was one of his top priorities! 

He chased the creature down the steps, following it all the way into the living room and to the tiny door that seemingly lead to nowhere. The mammal squeezed through the cracks of the it somehow and disappeared from view.

“What the gosh-darn-heck?” David whispered, falling to his knees and opening the door with caution. No longer was the brick wall standing strong, but was instead replaced with a glowing purple tunnel, stretching out to meet another small door at the end where the platypus patiently waited. David blinked once, wondering if he was just imagining all of this.  _ This must be a weird dream,  _ he concluded, crawling into the tunnel without much problem. The doorframe was small, but David was thin and scrawny, his body providing no issues with fitting. Without hesitation, the man met the platypus at the door and pushed it open, moving into the new room with care. When his eyes adapted to the darkness of the place, David was in utter disbelief. 

The room was  _ his  _ living room. Everything was exactly the way he had left it; boxes stacked up in the corner and on the coffee table. The only difference was the crude painting on the wall. It wasn’t so disheartening now, though, as the boy within it now was smiling and laughing, licking his ice cream with glee.

_ Okay, this is getting too weird for me.  _

_ But it's fine. _

David dusted off his front half, lifting his head to look around for the animal. It was currently rounding the corner, most likely heading towards the kitchen.

_ Wait, did I leave the kitchen light on?  _ he asked himself silently, trailing after the creature now with much astonishment. This was so uncanny that it was almost to the point where it terrified him. Then it really, truly did creep him out; someone was singing a soft tune in a low voice from inside the kitchen. 

_ This is no longer fine. _

The platypus already long forgotten, David pushed the door open and gaped at what he saw within it.

A man stood with his back to the red-head, his figure so strikingly similar to David’s that David swore he was looking in a backwards mirror. Although the body structure was almost identical, this new person had powdery blonde hair and wore nothing but white, save for the little gold specks on his belt.  _ Oh goodness oh goodness  _ oh goodness _! He has  _ such _ a nice a- _

“Hello, Davey,” said the man, oh-so-slowly turning around to face David. The blonde’s face was very pale, his icy cyan eyes- _ button eyes?!-  _ standing out against the flesh like blood against a white wall.

David was absolutely stunned. He could not form a single word and everything and anything that tumbled out of his mouth was indistinguishable. The man before him was  _ gorgeous.  _ While David knew the man looked like himself, it didn’t squash his opinions toward him at all. There was just something about this guy, ranging from the way he moved to the way he spoke. It was hypnotising. 

“I see you’re lost for words. That’s as expected,” the doppelganger continued, “I’m Daniel, your Other Self. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Davey!”

The way Daniel spoke David’s old nickname sent shivers up his spine. Good or bad, he wasn’t entirely sure. “H-Hello,” the red-haired man managed to choke out, never peeling his green gaze from the blue button-eyed one. “How do you know me?”

Daniel set the bowl he had been holding down on the counter before leaning against the sink. It was only then did David notice that the man before him was making food. Food that smelled heavenly, in fact.  _ Is that...for me? _

“I watched you move in. That’s how I learned of you, Davey.”

“How, though?”

“I watched you from the Other World, of course. This place.”

“The Other World? Wh-”

“Davey, I would love to answer your questions. I really would, but the chicken is burning,” Daniel says, his grin widening ever so slightly as he bent down to peer inside the oven. Then he grabbed some oven mitts and pulled open its door. Daniel reached in and hauled out a big, plump and golden chicken, proceeding to then set it on top of the stove and pry off his mittens. David watched, mouth wide open. 

“So how about I answer them after we dine?”

David was in complete shock.  _ If this is a dream, it’s the best dream I’ve ever had in my entire life. I hope it never ends!  _ “S-Sure,” he says in reply with a nod, gaze fixated on Daniel as he began to tend to the food. 

David’s questions would never actually be answered, unbeknownst to him.

After a moment of suffocating silence, Daniel asks in his cool, smooth voice, “Why, don’t just stand there. Would you like to help?”

“I would, sir!” David has to bite his lip from shouting and nods eagerly.

“Please, just call me Daniel.”

“A-Alright, Daniel!”

It wasn’t long before the two of them were moving side by side in sync, setting up dishes and displaying the wonderfully prepared food Daniel had made onto them. Once or twice David accidently bumped into the blonde, causing both of them to lock gazes for a split second. Each time, David had to force back a blush that threatened to take over his freckled cheeks. The look on Daniel’s face everytime was mesmerizing.

_ Why am I like this? What are these feelings? I feel so...weird!  _

Soon the table was set up and the two of them sat across from each other, the delicious food peppering the entirety of the space in between both. Forks and spoons clinking against china, they dined. When David’s face lit up at the superb taste of the meal, Daniel placed his elbows on the edge of the table and smirked ever so slightly, brows lowering and resting close to his  _ buttons _ in a victorious manner. 

“I take it you like?”

“Very much. Thank you!”

“No, thank you for coming. Now I have something beautiful to admire.”

“Aw, shucks! You’re too kind,” David says, smiling wide and accepting the compliment with an oblivious expression, cheeks growing red. The smile morphed into a grin moments later when Daniel stood, grabbed a platter from the kitchen and slid it across the table to David. It was a light salmon cake decorated with little white swirls of frosting, writing etching itself across it without Daniel’s hand to guide it. It read, ‘ _ Welcome home, Davey!’ _

David shifted a little in the chair, radiance emitting from him as he watched. Then he looked up, meeting the blue devious gaze. “Whoa! You made this too? For me?”

“Just for you,” Daniel says, his tone a little seductive. The red-head looked away quickly, smiling shyly. “Thanks,” he says, filled to the brim with immense gratitude, “and the food is all so wonderful! How can I repay you?”

“By visiting me every night, of course!” Daniel’s excitement matched David’s on a daily basis. Genuinely touched with the surge of sudden emotion from the man across from him, David nodded yearningly. “Sure! I’ll visit you every night, okay, Daniel?”

The blonde got to his feet and elegantly walked over to the redhead, bending over to rest his chin on David’s shoulder. Their hair brushed against each other ever so slightly. “I would love that,” Daniel whispered into David’s ear, a sinister grin growing across the button-eyed man’s face. Before David could respond, his mouth opened unconsciously and he let out a conspicuous yawn. Daniel moved away, offering him a pale hand. “I think it may be best if you rest now. You’ll need to save your energy for tomorrow.”

A pout crawled its way onto his freckled face, sadness seeping into his emerald eyes. “I don’t want to leave yet,” he muttered in his full, tiredly state, still convinced this was a sublime dream. “I want to stay with you.”

Daniel’s lips twitched into a sincere smile instead of a smirk this time at the other’s soft words. “You’re about to fall asleep on me. Let’s get you comfy.”

The man in all white stood and David took his hand as Daniel led him out of the room, up the stairs and into the master bedroom where the redhead had fallen asleep earlier. David, the food making him feel so exhausted that he felt he could curl up and sleep for hours, didn't realise that Daniel wasn't forcing him to go back through the door. Instead, David was ushered into his bed- _ why does my room look more lively than before? How odd,  _ he temporarily wondered _ \-  _ and was tucked in, the blonde leaning over him with his head and neck twisted at an unusual angle. “Goodnight, David.”

David was already out like a light and was unable to form a reply, his breathing soft and gentle. Delicately, Daniel placed a kiss atop the other’s forehead before retreating from the room.

Those questions would have to wait until another night, as when David awoke the next morning, refreshed and energized, he came to register the fact that he was no longer in the same place as Daniel. The red-head scouted his apartment high and low, looking for any signs of the blonde.  _ Nothing! Was he really part of that “Other World” place? Or was it a dream? It felt so real…  _ David let out a defeated sigh, resting his head against the dirty, pastel white wall. Lightly he pounded his fist into the drywall, closing his eyes.

“Daniel,” he murmured to himself, smiling into the wall, “I promise I'll visit you tonight!”

David had even checked the little door, but to no avail. It was once again blocked off by a red brick wall. The only thing that was the slightest bit suspicious was that the doll had been sitting in front of it, head drooped a little to one side. The young man had grabbed it and set it on the coffee table, frowning a little as he did so.  _ I'm so confused! _

Another ding at his door signified that the day was beginning, and with a grin David pushed thoughts back of last night and approached it. All he found outside was a pile of mail, grayed envelopes encasing thick squares of something pungent. At least this time it wasn't Max ding-dong-ditching him.

“Cameron C. Campbell?” he said aloud, glancing around.  _ Our mail must of gotten mixed up, since this definitely isn't mine,  _ he concluded, taking the letters in his hands and stepping off his porch. Luckily, there was a sign nearby that had  _ ‘Mr. Campbell’  _ painted on it in big, bold letters.  _ Well, that's handy! _

He raced up the steps, knocking on Mr. Campbell’s door with a big smile. Instead of someone answering, the door creaked open a little, divulging David upon what was inside. Disappointingly, it didn't look like much except for just a few buckets with blankets draped over them and heated lamps burning down on a bundle of eggs within a nest.

Before David could move inside to get a better look, a large, hairy arm reached over his shoulder and yanked the door shut. He spun around, coming face to face with who he inferred was Mr. Campbell; a tall, older but ripped older man with curly gray hair that sat upon his head and along his chin. “No peeking!” he says with a fake smile, ruffling David’s auburn hair. “I know you probably can’t resist, but I ain’t selling these eggs yet, son.”

“Eggs? Huh? Oh no sir, you’ve got it wrong,” David said with a chuckle, shaking his head and holding the letters out for Cameron to take. “I think our mail just got mixed up so I’m delivering it to you myself.”

Mr. Campbell looked ever so slightly disappointed at the news, as if he was hoping he would get some sort of an offer on the mysterious eggs. “Oh, I see. Well, thank you for bringing the mail to me.” He took it from David in a flash, putting his nose to one of the foul letters. “Ah, the sweet scent of platypus food and profit!”

Brows furrowing together, David frowned.  _ Platypus? Wait a second!  _ Something clicked in his head and he got an impulse to ask.“Did one of your platypuses happen to escape last ni-”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, Mr…?”

“Greenwood, sir, but you didn’t-”

“Mr. Greenwood, yes! If you’ll excuse me, I have to take care of my precious money-maker, er, platypus. Thanks for taking the time to give these to me,” Mr. Campbell rumbles, grinning a little with his dark blue eyes bright. David helplessly watched him vanish into his own strange apartment, silent.  _ That had to be his platypus from last night. How did it get in and how did it know about the door?  _ he wondered, a little amazed that a unique creature like that was capable of such things.

After a moment, David peeled his gaze from Mr. Campbell’s rotting door and went back down the steps.  _ I guess I’ll find out another day, as much as it pains me to wait. _

But Cameron Campbell suddenly leapt off the balcony of his apartment and landed right in front of the red-head, scaring him half to death.  _ Or maybe today, that’s fine?! _

“Greenwood, before you go,” he says, placing his hands on his own waist, looking a little concerned, “One of my platypuses told me to give you a message.”

“A...message? They can speak?” David gaped, emerald eyes wide and sparkling with awe. “No way!”

The old man nodded, grinning a little in pride. “Yes, in fact, they do. But their message was,  _ ‘Don’t go through the door, Davey!’  _ Do you know what the hell that means? I certainly don’t.”

The news came as a bombshell, causing him to freeze in his spot. “...What?”

“Well, anyway, have a nice day. When those eggs hatch, I’ll have a special sale just for you if you ever change your mind!”

Then he was gone, back up the steps and receding into his home.

_ So it  _ was _ the same one!  _ David concluded, stricken with surprise.  _ But why did it lead me towards the door if it didn’t want me going in? _

Unfortunately, he never realised that  _ that _ platypus had button eyes.

_ Oh, it was probably a mistake. I’ll visit Daniel tonight nonetheless. For now, though, I might as well go meet my other neighbors!  _

Smiling to himself, David strolled over to the closest door, one that had steps leading downwards. He descended down them, stopping and knocking at the door. He used the golden door knocker, which was in the shape of dice and a top hat. David found it quite charming. What he didn’t find charming, however, was the matt below his feet that said,  _ ‘No whistling inside, please.’ _

When no one opened the door after a long moment, David pressed his face against the glass of it, trying to see inside the dark room ahead. Then there came yet another jumpscare for him to enjoy:

“Oh! Hello!” came a woman, high-pitched and joyous. The owner of the voice popped up in the glass, her dark face covered in many wrinkles and freckles. Big round glasses sat upon her nose, making the old lady’s dark blue eyes amplified. She grinned and opened the door. “Welcome, welcome, to our home of magic and mystery! Come in.”

She moved back and waddled deeper into the apartment, her hand-made blue cape swishing behind her gracefully. Curious and a bit entertained, David followed the woman inside. She lead him past a red velvet curtain, showing him into her home. It was much different from David’s and the moldy stone walls were covered in old 60s posters of a young woman and a young man doing a variety of different acts ranging from magic tricks to larping. The red-head almost chuckled at one of them where the two could be seen bickering over something.

He then realised he had not introduced himself and felt appalled at the fact. “I’m David, the new neighbor here. I just wanted to come and say hello and I hope you don't mind my intrusion!”

“Oh, I see. Well, I’m Nerris. And of course not!” said the larger old woman, sitting down at her couch within the living room. David was about to sit beside her when he noticed the shelves that lined the walls above where Nerris sat. There were at least five white rabbits seated on each plank of wood, dressed in some kind of monster-like outfit. The walls stretched up high, higher than usual and the shelves didn't end until the poor creatures were touching the ceiling.

Nerris noticed David’s wide-eyed staring and gave a tiny, depressing sigh. “Those are Harrison and I’s poor rabbits we lost over the years. It's sad, losing a best friend.”

David swallowed heavily, uneasy and very uncomfortable. He had a lot of love for cute animals and he knew he would be absolutely devastated if one of them passed.

But this was pushing the limit for him.

“A-Ah...I see,” David whispers, hesitantly claiming the vacant spot beside Nerris. She smiled at him then looked over when an old man hobbled out of the kitchen, placing a top hat upon his head. “Who's this young boy?”

“Oh, Harrison! This is our new neighbor, David.”

“Well, welcome, David. It's good to see a new face around here.” He smiled, stopping in front of the couch and it's glass coffee table. “Though I think you might be a bit too late to get to witness one of my famous magic tricks.”

“Actually, I think he came to see my professional larping skills,” Nerris spoke up, eyeing Harrison with a playful poke at his pride. The scrawny old man scoffed and shook his head. “No way. My tricks are better than your stupid ‘wizardry' skills.”

“Not true! Take that back!”

“No, Nerris!”

“I'll cast lightning bolt on you. I'm not afraid to do it!”

David felt a little overwhelmed at the sudden outburst of insults between the two and stood, taking a minor step towards the front door. He could come back later when they weren't in such fiery moods. “Thanks guys. It was real nice meeting both of you.”

Neither of the two riposted him, too focused on their unique argument. With a weak smile, David turned and silently slipped out of their apartment.

The auburn-haired man closed the door gently behind him, exhaling softly.  _ Well, that was something else. They seem nice, though! I’ll come back and visit them la…  _ his thoughts trailed off as he trotted up the steps, slowing a little when he noticed that the area had grown foggy.  _ Wowzers, the weather changed that fast? Or was I just in there for a long time?? _

David swatted at the mist as he moved forward childishly, grinning. After a moment of enjoying himself, he decided he should head inside before the fog dampened his clothing any further.

“What the hell are you doing, David?” 

“Max?!”

David looked over his shoulder, seeing Max standing behind him with a frown upon his face and arms crossed over his chest. “Yeah, who else would it be?”

“Are you...stalking me?” 

“What? No way, moron,” scowled Max, turning his head to the side defiantly. “I just came to see what kind of shit you’re into. I see it’s...doing whatever the hell that was.”

Flustered, David chuckled quietly. “I was just...nevermind,” he says, smiling and kneeling down to the boy’s height, no longer worried about his clothes. “Where did you run off to last night? I was really worried about you.”

Max raised his thin brows a little, surprised with the question. “What? Why do you care? Shouldn’t you be asking me about the doll I gave you?”

“Oh!” David’s eyes lit up in remembrance. “Right, the cute doll that looks like me! Where did you find it?” Rambling, the red-head gasped, his eyes growing wide. “Wait, don’t tell me you made it. For me? Wow, Max, you’re the best!” He tried to pull the little boy into a hug, but Max stumbled backwards, slightly taken back. 

“What? No!” he shouted, flailing his hands at David to try and get his overzealous self away. “Why the fuck would I make something like that? I just saw it and thought you lost it, or something…”  

“Oh, I see...you’re still great though, Max.”

“Can you just shut up?”

David laughed and stood up, his skin prickling at the feeling of the moist air clinging to his hairs. “Do you want to come inside? You’re going to get soaked out here, maybe even catch a cold. I’m surprised you didn’t get one from staying out last night in the rain!”

Max shook his head, cyan eyes a bit narrowed. “No, I’m not ever stepping foot in  _ that  _ place.”

Confused, David tilted his head at the boy before him. “Huh? Why not? It’s not actually that bad of a place once you get used to it.”

At first, the kid didn’t reply. Then he said quickly, “Just, no.” And with that, he was running off, fading into the fog.

“Wait, Max!” David called, reaching out. For a split second, the boy paused and glanced back over his shoulder.

“Do you live here?”

“No,” he said after a moment’s hesitation, looking forward and away from David. “I don’t even really know anyone here besides Gwen and Gwen’s grandmother. Now leave me alone.”

The man watched Max go, worry etching itself across his freckled face. He wanted to chase him, but David knew there was no way he could keep up in this fog.  _ Why does Max keep doing this? I really hope he’ll be okay.... Wait, I’ll find Gwen! Gwen might help me round him up! She didn’t seem to like Max but I’m sure she can come around.  _ David then ran off, determination flowing his veins. 

_ Gosh darn it! I’m gonna help Max! _


	3. The Other Neighbors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna say this every chapter but!! Thanks so much for the support! It really gives me the boost I need to keep writing :DD I'll continue posting as often as possible for you guys^^

When he had first arrived, Gwen was hesitant on letting him inside. She was the closed off type who didn’t really find socializing a good way to spend a foggy afternoon. Instead, the brunette stated that she would gladly sit around all day and Doctor Phil or Bob Ross instead of being outside. David did not give up so easily, however, and pushed to get inside. The fatherly compassion he felt for Max was too strong to make him give up so quickly. Eventually, Gwen caved and allowed David into her apartment, serving him a warm beverage and asking him what was wrong.

“No.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because that kid is a brat, that’s why. I’m not going to help you look for him.”

David sat in his friend’s apartment, clutching a coffee mug as he sat on her couch. He was pouting a little, looking grief-stricken. “But something might happen to him! C’mon Gwen, please?”

For a moment, the woman sitting across from him looked stuck. Seeing David’s distraught expression and the care he felt towards this kid made her pause. Then she remembered everything that Max did to her and her mind was set.

“Sorry, David, but I can’t. I’ve got a history with him.”

“A...history?”

Her gaze drifted away. “It’s a long story. But he was real mean to my mother when she told us about her sister.”

Frowning now, he looked up from the liquid within his cup. “What happened to her?”

Gwen gave a shuddering sigh, appearing uncomfortable. She spoke when she composed herself, memories of long ago crossing her mind. “My mother’s twin sister disappeared when she was younger. It was...she actually disappeared in the room you’re living in now. They haven’t found her body or anything. One day she was just...gone.”

Defeated and feeling awful for trying to force his new friend into assisting him, the red-head leaned forward and hung his head, setting the mug down on the coffee table. He wanted to push the subject even more and find out what exactly Max had done, but ultimately decided against it. David could find out another day. “Well...thanks for your time, anyhoo. Sorry about your mom's sister. Wish I could do something to help...”As he stood, Gwen reached out and delicately took his hand. A weak smile rested on her lips.

“You seem like a good guy,” she said to him, “so I might consider helping you with anything else. I just don’t want to speak to Max, let alone see him.” Heavy guilt was present in Gwen’s eyes just like before and David felt a pang in his heart upon seeing it.

“Thanks. You’re nice too!” He shook her hand, returning her smile with one of his own and made his way out of her apartment, back outside into the moist midday air.

With a sigh, he approached his apartment door, glancing one last time into the white eerie fog. Then the red-head went inside, praying that Max would be okay on his own for now.

 

\------

 

Pushing his dampened hair back and out of his face, David curled up into his bed, snuggling the doll of himself to his chest once more. Today he had found the doll sitting by the door, awaiting him for when he returned from his adventures with his neighbors. Though he did find it quite weird, David didn’t entirely mind the fact that something was welcoming him home.

After all, living alone can get pretty lonely.

Before he fell asleep, he put a small pile of food in front of his bedroom door, hoping the platypus would return and lead him back to Daniel. And just as expected, when the young man awoke from his deep slumber, the said animal had returned and was nibbling at the food. When David sat up straight and almost fell out of the bed, the mammal turned and ran off, presumably heading back to the first floor.

Feeling giddy as ever, the red-head hurried to the door, following after the platypus and crawled inside without hesitation this time. _Daniel, I’m coming!_

“I’m here, just as promised!” David exclaimed, bursting into the kitchen of the Other Apartments.

Daniel was standing at the counter just as expected, preparing more food for tonight’s dinner. David specifically didn’t eat, hoping to get more of this man’s savory meals. “I see that,” he hums, turning around and opening his arms wide. David immediately fell into them, embracing the blonde with the biggest smile. Daniel, a little surprised at the full force of the red-head, wrapped his arms around him. Both of them were completely smitten, enveloped in the warmth of each other’s bodies. “I’m so glad you came back. I missed you, Davey.”

“I missed you too, Danny!” Then David pulled away, his cheeks growing slightly crimson. He had mispoken, his thoughts seeping out through his words. Immediately he apologised, then asked, “Oh...uh...sorry...I m-mean...can I call you that?"

Daniel thought for a moment, then nodded, a soft smile falling onto his lips. “Sure. I like the way _you_ say it.”

“Oh-uh-alright, Danny!”

“Perfect,” purred Daniel, moving closer and grabbing David’s jaw, lifting it so he would stop staring at the ground and instead lock his gaze with malicious blue buttons. Daniel smirked, enjoying the new look making its way onto David’s face.

 _Those buttons kind of creep me out but...I can see past that,_ he thought, leaning a bit into the blonde’s gentle grip. Daniel’s eyes were narrowed, almost shining with smugness, but then somehow they softened and he pressed his lips onto the red-head's. David’s breath hitched at once, the touch absolutely breath-taking. His green eyes fluttered wide momentarily. Then he sunk into it, wrapping his arms around Daniel and pulling him close. Daniel’s hand crawled its way down to David’s soft rear and he gave it a playful squeeze. David gasped, tugging a little at the blonde’s plump lips in pleading, so forceful he actually surprised himself. In one movement the moment had turned from soft to heavy, the air sparking around them with newfound tension. Both of them grew hungry, their lips becoming more and more violent with each passing second. Before one of their hands could stray too far-to David’s disappointment-Daniel pulled away.

“I have something special for you,” he whispered, half-lidded button eyes staring deep into David’s soul. Then he took the other’s hand and pulled him out the door, a small smile spreading across his face. David was instantly smitten, obeying without protest. _Did Daniel do something else for me? Golly, he's so great!_

Daniel lead David outside into the frosty night air. The stars were more prominent here in this world; sparkling and shimmering brightly in the sky.

“The garden?!” David almost squealed like an excited child as they entered it. Unlike the one in the real world, this one was certainly alive and blooming with color. Along the stone walls leading inside, scarlet flowers in the shape of hearts glowed and pulsed, giving the place such a heart-warming feeling. Everything was bursting with activity in the garden, the plants moving up and about in sync. Even the dragon snappers playfully snapped at the two men as they passed, some even latching onto David’s arms and bringing him down to the ground, tickling him. He kicked and laughed, never feeling happier than he had in his entire life as Daniel, his knight in shining armor, swooped down and slashed the vines of the plants with a crooked knife he had retreated from his back pocket. The blonde picked up the dragon snappers and made them into a lovely bouquet, handing them to the auburn-haired man as he stood. David accepted them and hugged them to his chest, then pulled Daniel into another close embrace.

“It's beautiful, amazing, wonderful! Gosh, I'm at such a loss for words. I just can't tell you how much this means to me!”

“I'm glad you love it. I've seen how you gazed longingly out your kitchen window into the garden at your place and I...made it a priority to make it real for you, Davey.”

David didn't even care that Daniel was...practically a stalker. Or maybe, he just didn't realise it. Either way, David was in heaven. “Seriously? Oh, man, Danny, you're really the best.”

“You can't say that yet,” says Daniel with a smirk, taking David’s hand, “not when you haven't seen the whole thing.”

“The whole thing-?” he began, but was interrupted when Daniel started dragging the him over to an oddly designed statue of a praying mantis. Of course, like everything in this world, it possessed button eyes.

“Yes, the whole thing.” With that, the blonde leapt onto the statue’s back and pulled David up with him, placing him up front. _Wow! He’s stronger than I imagined,_ David thought as he leaned back into the curvature of Daniel’s body, Daniel's hands wrapping arm the other’s torso to keep him steady. Beneath them, to David’s surprise, the praying mantis was rumbling to life, turning its head to take a quick glance back at both of them. Then propellers popped out of the sides and started to move, spinning and causing the two to flutter into the air. David gasped and squeaked, tensing up under his partner's careful grip. “Hey, shh,” the button-eyed man mumbled into David’s ear, the breath hot on his earlobe, “It's okay; just look down. Enjoy the view. I’ve got you.”

The red-head did as instructed, peering hesitantly down at the ground below them, which was quickly becoming smaller and smaller. His eyes widened, struck by the arrant beauty of the garden. All of the colors, all the bright, glowing lights radiating off of each and every flower came together to form a single object: David’s grinning face. There were even special plants to create the freckles covering his cheeks.

Daniel rubbed his cheek against David’s shoulder, a grin stretching on his face. “Do you like it?”

Again, David was lost for words. “I…”

Their gazes met, David twisting in his spot to face the blonde. Then he leaned in and roughly kissed Daniel just like earlier, but this time he poured every unspoken word into the touch. Every emotion the he felt at that moment was shoved into the arms of Daniel, the overpowering appreciation and love filling both of them to the brim. The button-eyed man fumbled with the controls of the mantis, bringing it back down to the wooden bridge after many previously failed attempts. It landed with a _thud_ on the bridge, followed by another _thud_ created by the two men riding it as they pushed each other to the ground. David landed on his back against the cold stone below, eyelids fluttering open to meet the lust and love-filled buttons of Daniel.

“I take it you must love it as much as I had hoped, then,” Daniel purred, hovering over David in a feral manner, powdery blonde hair falling into his face.

“Very much,” came David’s hoarse reply, reaching up to wrap a hand around the back of Daniel’s neck, ever so gentle. _I've never felt this way before…_ he thought, pulling the blonde’s face down so their lips could meet once more. Nobody had ever cared this much about him. Nobody had ever wanted to please David as much as the man atop him did. The overwhelming care Daniel provided fueled a desire found deep within him, one he never knew he had.

David came to the realization that he wanted this man to  _dominate_ him.

The red-head found the blonde’s shirt and ripped it open, throwing the white buttons sewed onto it askew. He felt Daniel crumbling above him, caving into his desires just as David had, his hands finding David’s waistline and diving under the fabric material, swimming amongst pale flesh with a delicate touch. Then, right before he reached David’s hard erection, Daniel stopped, causing David to buck his hips a little in protest. He mewled with irritation and the blonde winced regrettingly at the sound.

“Ah-ah-ah,” Daniel whispered, pulling away from David’s warm and slightly swollen lips, “not now. I want it just as badly as you do, but I'm afraid there are other things planned for tonight.”

“I wouldn't mind disregarding them, Danny…” David muttered in reply, his fingertips dragging along Daniel’s smooth, exposed chest. _Oh gosh, am I drunk?! What's wrong with me?_

A chuckle escaped the blonde as he climbed off of the red-head. He appeared quite amused, but it was only to hide his embarrassment and flustered state. “I know, Davey. Come on now, before the food begins to burn.”

David gave a pitiful nod, shakily standing. His legs felt like jelly, weak and limp despite not having really done anything. He leaned against the blonde, smiling sheepishly as they began to walk the short distance to the apartment.

Inside, David helped set the table once more, preparing for yet another lovely meal served by his devilishly handsome host. “Thanks again for the food!” he said with much esteem, chowing down on the dinner as soon as it was given to him. Daniel let out a small laugh in reply, watching the man opposite of him while he took a forkful of his own meal. With the little adventure in the garden briefly forgotten, both of them conversed, discussing their hobbies and interests. Apparently, Daniel was part of an unknown religious society. He didn’t speak much of it, but David thought it sounded interesting.

“If you want to know more about it,” the blonde told him, looking up from his food to make eye contact, “I’ll tell you more later. One of your friends is coming over after dinner to steal you away.”

Instantly, curiosity plagued David’s mind. He was very scatterbrained tonight, especially after everything that had happened. “Wow, really? Who?”

He only got a wink in return, then, as if Daniel had planned this all along, the doorbell rang. His chair scrapped against the wooden floor as Daniel arose. He made the move to open it. “It must be her!”

David stood too, abandoning his half finished meal as he followed his partner over. When Daniel opened the door, Gwen stood there in all her glory, smiling weakly.

She, too, had button eyes.

“Gwen!” David grinned wide, delighted to see his new friend again even if she was a little different than before.

She waved, her head tilting ever so slightly. The brunette didn’t speak and this startled David a little. Gwen did not come off as someone who would stay silent and not say something snarky at first chance. He glanced at Daniel in questioning. “Can’t she talk?”

Daniel shook his head, grinning wide. “No, Davey. She can’t. I figured you wouldn’t mind, since she seems a bit rude when she speaks anyway.”

David frowned ever so slightly but did not complain. _Gwen was a bit...rough, but I didn’t take her as mean. Then again, I’ve only known her for a day._ “Alright, Danny. That’s fine with me!

“Good,” the blonde said, putting a hand on the redhead’s shoulder. “Now, you two go have fun! Gwen wanted to take you somewhere. I’ll be waiting for you when you return!”

“Sure thing! See you later,” he responded, giving Daniel a quick hug before hurrying over to the brunette. She turned, giving David a nod before walking out of the apartment.

The two of them walk up to Mr. Campbell’s apartment, David lost in his thoughts. As much as he was wondering why exactly they were visiting Cameron, the young man couldn’t help but relive what had happened in the garden. _I...lost control of myself,_ he recalled, a little bewildered with his own actions as he looked back upon it. _But I mean, how could I not? Danny’s...amazing._

 _You’ve only known him for a few hours!_ the logical side of his brain hissed, _you can’t mess around with someone you barely know._

He paused for a moment, before retorting to himself, _I feel like I’ve known him my entire life. I trust him with my life, too!_

_You’re fucking screwed._

David shook his head and did not recognize that he was fidgeting anxiously on Mr. Campbell’s door knob until Gwen nudged the him gently, looking a little troubled. Immediately, David smiled at her. “Sorry! I was just thinking about some stuff. Anyways, what’s so important about this guy? I mean, he’s really cool, but last time I was here he didn’t have much to show for.”

Gwen let out an almost inaudible chuckle, patting him on the back as if saying, “ _Just wait. You’ll see.”_

Then they walked inside the home, David not sure what to expect. If anything, he wasn’t expecting what he saw upon entering. Before them sat a small yellow and orange carnival tent, though about the size of a small camping tent. Leading to it was a row of mini canons, then a little popcorn maker machine which was furiously popping the kernels that laid within it.

“Wow!” David gasped, green eyes wide, “It’s like a mini carnival!”

The brunette beside him pushed the red-head forward a little, a small smirk on her lips. As he stumbled forward, the canons began to fire, pelting him with cotton candy. He screeched in surprise, then the yelling died into loud laughter. Gwen rushed after him, pushing him again, but this time out of the range of fire and pulled a wad of the colorful sugar off of him.

“This is great,” David says, grabbing a bag of popcorn from the popcorn machine, then dragging Gwen into the tent. He still had cotton candy on his clothing, so Gwen kept pulling it off and chowing down on it. The two of them sat inside the little carnival tent, amazed at the fact that the outer size was not proportionate to the inside. The inside of the thing was huge, room for at least one hundred people.

David, bursting with excitement, shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth as Gwen chewed silently on the cotton candy beside him. Then the lights dimmed and Cameron Campbell’s voice echoed throughout the room.

“Welcome to my amazing show! Be prepared to experience the thrill of a lifetime, for only the cost of zero dollars!” He mumbled something under his breath at the last part, seemingly agitated that his performance was free. David giggled softly, shifting in his seat as the show actually began; bouncy music played from speakers all around as a ball rolled into the middle. It was a small performance, really, but it was nonetheless captivating to David. The platypuses-which were trained to near perfection-danced and played, posing in time with the music. The auburn-haired man enjoyed every second, nudging Gwen multiple times and pointing things out to her. When it eventually ended, Cameron C. Campbell showed himself, bowing and lifting his little top hat to his two audience members who clapped and cheered for him.

“Thank you, thank you!” he said, lifting a few of the animals up in his arms. They snuggled into his sleek tuxedo, looking content. “I’m glad to see that both of you enjoyed my show.”

Gwen nods, smiling, and David eagerly grins in reply. “I did, sir! It was amazing!”

“Then you’ll come back for another one soon?”

“Golly, there’s more?!”

“Of course. After all, I’m a world renowned platypus trainer. These critters obey my every command and they will be more than happy to give you another show. Next time for a large fee, though.”

David nodded, giving a thumbs up. “Will do, then, Mr. Campbell!” _He's so cool! I kinda wish he was my father._

The older man clasped his hands together, beaming at the younger man’s response. “Great! See you soon, then.”

Gwen and David crawled out of the tent, the brunette still eating little pieces of cotton candy off of her friend. The two of them exited the apartment, David rambling on about how amazing it was. _I wonder if Max would have liked that? Has he ever been to a carnival before, anyway? If Cameron’s doing more shows, I’ll take Max to the next one! And Daniel too! Oh my gosh! We could be a family!!_

“How was it?” Daniel asked when the pair stepped onto the porch of the blonde’s apartment, grinning warmly. Gwen said nothing to this and allowed David to speak all of her excitement for her: “Oh my goodness, it was great! Will you come next time, Danny?” Completely abandoning his friend now, the red-head made his way over to Daniel, wrapping him in a hug.

“I will, if that’s what you desire,” he says in reply, surprised briefly by the hug. Then the button-eyed man snuggled his face into the crook of the other’s neck, holding him tight. “I’d travel to the end of the universe just for you.”

By now, Gwen was forgotten, left outside as the lovers made their way into the small home, entangled in a desperate need for each other. She watched them go, her smile fading immediately once they were out of sight.

She wished with all of her heart that she could speak.

Then maybe she could warn David of the horrors Daniel held.


	4. Button Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you thank you for all of the kudos and comments :D they always help push me forward when writing this <33

Sunlight filtered in through the curtains, illuminating the pale skin of the man who laid in his bed, sleeping soundly. He was smiling, hugging a pillow close to his chest as if it was his life source. Then he awoke, yawning and stretching his aching limbs.

“Aw, hooey,” he breathed, sitting up and rubbing his eyes when he noticed that his room was dull and lifeless. Daniel was missing. Then his face heated up as he remembered last night after heading inside. He covered his face and shook it, his complexion that of a tomato. 

_ Daniel and I...we...we...we…! _

David let out a little squeal, squirming in his spot. He moved to get out of bed, but everything hurt so instead he decided to sit back and close his weary eyes. The red-head sighed softly, clutching the pillow he had been sleeping with hard.  _ I don’t want to start the day...I want to see Daniel. I want to wake up with him beside me, just as he had fallen asleep beside me last night. I want hold him close and I want him to hold me close too. _

As David wished with all his heart this was true, he glanced out his window, seeing that the sky was a dreary gray, the clouds looking like they were about to spill over with more rain. Eventually, when the little droplets of water began to delicately tap the window pane of David’s room, he sat up and crawled out of bed, deciding it was best to start the day already. After all, he had laid in bed half-sulking, half-dreaming long enough.

The scrawny redhead made his way downstairs, threw together some miniscule breakfast, grabbed his little doll before heading out the door and locking it behind him.  _ Instead of staying cooped up in my apartment today, I might as well head into town and explore! I need more food anyways and I still need to find a new job for the winter,  _ he thought to himself as he slid into his small car, placed his Little David in the passenger seat and started up the engine. Into town he went, following the long, winding roads into downtown Ashland. As he drove, he admired the little shops and markets the town had. It was much fancier than what was back at Camp Campbell; there were about six places there to explore and most were not something David found entertaining besides the hardware store. It was always fun to shop in there when he wasn't watching the kids.

Soon he found a parking space, parking his car on the side of the road. He exited the vehicle and inhaled in the thick scent of rain, in a cheery mood despite the weather. By now it had stopped, but the moisture was still present and the clouds did not seem completely satisfied with what they had dropped. More rain was soon to come, it seemed. But for now David whistled as he strolled down the sidewalk, enjoying the brief break in the wet weather.

Most of the time David spent in town was gazing longingly into windows and shops, wishing he had a lot of money to afford the lovely products each little business was selling. The redhead downright forgot what his main goals for heading into the town were in hindsight, now distracted by the merchandise he passed by. Then he came to halt, his wandering gaze ceasing on a colorful bandana. It was beautiful; bright sunshine yellow with patterns of teal blue etched along the edges, the stitching of it little patterns of ‘x’s. Only seconds later he was inside the shop, examining the price tag under it's special hanger.

“You like that?” asked the shopkeeper behind him, crossing his arms as he watched his new customer admire one of his articles of clothing. The young man spun around, grinning eagerly. “I do!” David chirped excitedly, “How much is it?”

Then, as quickly as he was in the shop, David was outside once more, looking slightly gloomy. For such a small thing, the price was something much more than what it was worth.  _ I can’t pay that much for something so trivial...oh, how I wish I could though! That bandana would look so much better than this plain yellow one. _

David wandered along the streets again, peering into shop windows such as he did before, before finally remembering what it was he had left his apartment for. 

_ Oh, right. Food! _

 

\----------

 

David wasn’t really looking forward to cooking himself something with his newly acquired groceries. While he wasn’t a horrible cook, the young man was just craving something entirely different from the fruits and vegetables now sitting on his kitchen table, hidden inside a dull brown paper bag and guarded by his little gift given to him by Max.

He wanted Daniel’s cooking.

_ Maybe the door is open? I mean, it won’t hurt to try.  _

And so he did; David snatched up the button-key from where it sat on the dusty coffee table in the living room, his little doll now completely forgotten for the time being and slid the key into the tiny door’s lock. The redhead's smile grew tenfold when the door squeaked with protest, swinging slowly open to reveal the glowing tunnel instead of the disheartening brick wall. “Thank you!” he whispered into it, scrambling onto his hands and knees as he crawled inside.

“Daniel! Daniel?” David called, brushing himself off as he waddled into the kitchen. Unlike before, the white-haired devil was nowhere in sight. However, it was obvious he had been here not too long ago. A mound of food sat on the kitchen table, all cooked to utter perfection and complete with a little box decorated with a night sky and stars. Curious, he went over and grazed his hand over the top of the box, a soft smile on his face.  _ Daniel had gotten me something? Golly, he’s seriously amazing! I can't say that enough... I wonder what this is.  _

He removed the lid and looked inside, emerald eyes widening when he did so. The same bandana from earlier laid inside.  _ No way! _

David pulled it out, took off his current accessory and replaced it with the gift he had just been bestowed. It was dazzling in the moonlight pouring in the window from outside- _ is it always night time here?- _ and matched his personality perfectly. The two opposite colors clashed, creating something dangerous, yet exciting. 

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts and he hurriedly closed the box and left it, not noticing the note Daniel had written beside it. He went to open the front door.

“Hello-? Oh, hey M...Max?!” 

“Yeah, hey David,” Max grumbled, walking past the open door into the Pink Palace Apartment building, into Daniel’s home. David watched him go, hesitantly closing the door behind him. “What are you doing here?”

“Coming to save your ass, that’s what.”

The red-haired man frowned at the back of the boy’s head, following him into the kitchen. “Save me? From what?”

“Oh, nothing. Just some big crazy demon trying to eat your soul. Nothing much, really.”

“Nothing much?! That doesn't sound like...not much…” David huffed, eyes wide in terror.

Max scowled and crossed his arms, looking upset. The redhead noticed that the boy didn't have button eyes.  _ They're...normal.  _ “Yeah, dumbass. If you haven't noticed, Daniel’s an evil monster who just wants to eat you. I mean, look at this note. _ ‘For you, my sweet Davey. Love, Danny.’ _ Come  _ on.” _

At this comment, David tensed and backed into the counter, a blush covering his entire face. He spluttered over his next few words, which came out loud and squeaky; “W-What? Eat m-m-me?! I mean h-he…! Well, uh, I-I….that note is nice b-but…”

Max suddenly grimaced, growling, “No, idiot! Like,actually cook you and eat you type thing. Not...whatever you're thinking.  _ Gross,  _ ugh!”

“O-Oh, of course...I knew what you w-were talking about, I'm not stupid…!”

“Just, shut up,” Max sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with displeasure. “Anyways...If you're not stupid, like you so claim, stop coming here. I mean to this world, that is. You're going to end up dead and bodiless.”

David’s thick red brows furrowed together. “Bodiless? What exactly do you mean by- hey, don't run off again! Max!”

Too late, Max was already sprinting out the door, his fluffy black hair bouncing on his head. The older man didn't even have a chance to run after him, the door having slammed shut before he could even move.

_ There's no use in not trying! Golly... _

David rushed out the door, swinging it open in his wake. He paused on the staircase, looking around hurriedly. He tried a few nearby bushes, searched a little bit of the treeline then even the trash can out back briefly.

Nothing, just as expected.

With a defeated sigh, the redhead turned and made the trek back to Daniel’s apartment, wondering if his host had returned home yet. However, something made him stop just before reaching the steps. Button-eyed Gwen was walking a little ways away, only before descending the steps to Nerris’ and Harrison’s apartment. 

“Hey, Gwen!” David called, striding over with a big grin. The woman halted and looked up at the man who now stood at the top as he spoke, “why are you visiting them at this hour?”  _ Or maybe now, since it always seems to be dark here… _

She pointed, flicking his thumb towards the door. A poster was stapled on it, somehow providing a bright light without a visible light bulb. It said in bold, colorful letters,  _ ‘Meet the one and only Magical Duo! Tonight!’ _

“Another show?” he gasped, almost tripping as he made his way down to his friend. “You shoulda said something to me!" Then David laughed softly, awkwardly at Gwen's knowing frown. "Er...I mean, ah, sorry. Let's just go!”

David practically dragged Gwen into the apartment, bursting with excitement. If this one was anything like the last one, he knew he was going to enjoy it.

The pair slowed as the red velvet curtains down the hall opened, revealing a giant auditorium with old, classy matching red velvet seats that were occupied by furry white rabbits, each one chattering to each other up a storm. Past the rows and rows of seats was an equally vast stage with its many lights dimmed, hiding whatever fantasies awaited this performance.

“Hey Gwen, what kind of magic do you think they'll be putting on?” David asked his silent friend, momentarily forgetting she was forcibly mute. As they found some empty seats near the front, the brunette shrugged, looking just as intrigued as her redhead friend did.

David leaned back in the comfortable theater seat. “Guess we’ll just have to see!”

It wasn't long before the lights were flipped on, glaring hard at the polished wood flooring of the magnificent stage. The bunnies around them hushed and a calm quiet fell over the massive audience of mammals. To David’s surprise, the curtains opened and behind it was a huge cardboard castle, standing tall enough that if an average child stood at the very top, the ceiling could be touched. The castle was nothing fancy, in fact, it looked handmade and even created by a child itself. Painted on the entrance at the bottom was  _ ‘Nerris's Castle’  _ in white paint.

“Ladies and gentleman,” boomed an old male’s voice overhead through the speakers, “prepare for a wondrous spectacle of magic!”

“And larping,” snapped a woman’s voice.

“Shh, this is my time to shine, Nerris!”

“Both of ours, Harrison! Come on, we talked about this…!”

Suddenly the castle was wobbling, shuffling coming from inside one of the higher floors. Then it toppled, the cardboard collapsing in on itself. Two screams were heard from inside- _ thank goodness they aren't screaming into the mic or I think I’d go deaf!- _ and Nerris’ Castle was utterly destroyed. David gasped, eyes wide and he leaned forward quickly.  _ Are they okay?  _ The animals sitting around the two friends were whispering to each other in worry and even Gwen looked alarmed. But to everyone’s relief, out of the dust spreading from around where the makeshift building previously stood were Nerris and Harrison themselves, coughing and spluttering.  They collected their bearings and exchanged glances, silent. Then they faced the audience who was holding its breath, anxious as to what they would say. After all, the act failed miserably.

Instead of speaking, they stretched and their bodies split apart. David didn't think his eyes could widen any further as two younger versions of themselves stepped out of the old bodies, waving and smiling. Nerris was beautiful, her dark skin amber and glowing in the light. She pushed her round glasses up the bridge of her nose and fixed her black hair, putting it up into a ponytail. Harrison smiled at her, laughing as his golden button eyes swept over the crowd, his lovely cape spreading out behind them. The crowd then roared as their real show began, the pair showing off what they did best; Harrison wowed everyone with his epic magic skills no one had ever seen before while Nerris displayed an unbelievable array of magic, casting spells and sometimes messing up Harrison’s work, which always got the audience laughing.

“Now, for our final act!” Harrison shouted to the crowd, stirring up nervous chattering of excitement, “We will choose one person from the audience to help us!”

Suddenly David was being shoved forward by Gwen, his arms raised and flailing around.

“Gwen, s-stop-” the young man giggled, squirming in his seat as his friend forced him to volunteer. Not like he wouldn't of without her help, either way.

And of course, David easily became the main star of the show. He was ushered up to the stage by some official rabbits with flashlights and brought in front of the two performers. Nerris smile at him and beckoned David over to a mysterious chair. He sat tall, looking between her and Harrison, bouncing up and down in the seat.

Whipping out a set of cards, Harrison took a spot in front of his guest. The magician held them out face down so that the houses and numbers weren't visible. “Please, pick one then return it.”

Slowly David reached out, pulling a random card from the deck. He read it- _ Five of Spades- _ then placed it back in among the cards without giving it away.

Harrison instantly moved away, shuffling the deck. Then, letting out a bellowing laugh, he threw it into the air. “Was your card...52-pick up?”

Before David could respond negatively, not getting the joke, Nerris moved forward in a flash and stuck out her arms. “Abracadabra!” and out forth came a flash of blinding light, glitter and magic, slicing one of the falling cards in half. The crowd gasped, the lights going dark for a moment, amplifying the light emitting from the woman in the blue cloak’s trick. Then they returned and Harrison brushed some sparkles off his yellow and black suit, picking up half of the crippled card. “Was this...your card?”

“It was! Wow!” David squeaked, reading the top corner of it. “Five of spades! How did you do that? Do it again!!”

It was certainly a magical performance.

“Golly...Gwen, everyone here is so amazing!” the brunette’s redhead friend was squealing, waving his arms in the air excessively as the two of them left the theater. “I wish I had talents like them. They're all so cool!”

Gwen nudged him at this, shaking her head with a small, reassuring smile. David chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck and wrapped an arm around her, walking in sync back to David’s Other Apartment. “Thanks for letting me join you, anyway,” he said with a grin, “I had a great time. You're a great friend, y’know.”

She smiled and nodded in return, unable to say anything. David liked the response, falling into a comfy silence as they walked the rest of the short distance. But the redhead, although most of the time oblivious to many things, didn't notice the sadness lacing his friend’s smile.  _ Wonder why she looked kind of upset? It can't be because of the show...it was great! Then why? _

What he didn't realise was that this Gwen knew this world was fake. She saw through Daniel’s devious ploys and knew she wasn't real.

Button-eyed Gwen knew she wasn't David’s real friend, Gwen.

“Goodnight, Gwen! Let's hang out again tomorrow, okay? Maybe Cameron will have another thing ready to show us,” the young man offered, giving his friend a brief hug before scaling the steps to Daniel’s apartment. He waved from the door, opening it with his free hand. Weakly, Gwen returned the gesture then turned away, clenching her fists into balls after watching the demon open the door, welcoming home his prey. Away she went, bristling.

“I see you two had fun,” Daniel says as David rushed inside the apartment, bubbling with excitement. “Oh yeah, this one was amazing too! I can't wait to do that again. You should come next time. It was a shame you weren't around for this one or I would've invited you to come with Gwen and I.”

Daniel smiled sweetly, leading David into the dining room. A feast was laid out, just as the redhead expected and adored, and the two sat. “Of course. Though, I'm afraid it may not be a good idea for you to see her again.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Oh, you know how women are. They can get...jealous.”

“Jealous...of us?”

“Yes, Davey.”

_ That must be why she was upset,  _ he thought to himself, picking up the fork and staring down at his plate.  _ Poor Gwen. I didn't mean to lead her on… _

“Anyway,” Daniel interrupted his thoughts, icy blue buttons resting on David’s neck, “I see you found my gift.”

“Oh, gosh yes. It's lovely and I'll probably cherish it forever!”

Daniel tore his gaze away, the tips of his lips curled into a small, embarrassed smile. “I'm glad…I saw you with it at the store. But you didn't leave with it so I figured it was too pricey.”

The young man nodded to the blonde, remembering his overwhelming disappointment upon seeing the cost of the piece of cloth. “It was. I don't understand how something so small can be so much! Thanks again, I really love it. It reminded me of you, too, with the blue…”

Daniel’s blonde brows raised, amusement betraying from his facial expression. “Oh? That's flattering. Thank you.” He tapped one of his buttons. “Blue is my favorite color. It goes well with white, my other favorite.”

“Green is mine! It reminds me of nature,” David breathes, on the edge of his seat. Then we wondered out loud, “Is white the color for your religious group?”

“You're clever. It is. However,” the blonde replied, changing the subject back to favorite colors on a whim, “if you like green so much, then I think you'll like this other gift I've got for you.”

David grinned. “Stop getting me things! I don't need them when...when I have you.”

He swore he could of seen a blush on the cheeks of Daniel, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. The blonde stood and moved closer to David, abandoning his food. He pulled a small, polka-dot covered box out of his pocket and set it delicately down on the table in front of the redhead. “Here. For you, my lovely doll.”

David lifted the lid of the tiny box and gasped. His smile faded ever so slightly at the contents.

“B-Buttons?”

Again, Daniel tapped his eyes and leaned closer. “If you don't like green-or in this case,  _ chartreuse- _ they can also come in traditional black. But if you like pink, or... _ vermilion _ , then you're welcome to have them.”

David was frozen, at a loss for words, this time for a whole different reason. His emerald gaze rested on the needle and thread resting beside the two buttons inside the little box, trying to imagine himself seeing out of them.

How it would feel sewing them on.

Daniel decided to break the deafening silence; “It's only a tiny thing we have to do if you want to stay here forever. If you stay...well, we can do anything.” The blonde took the other’s hand, who was still unmoving and quiet. “We’ll love each other forever, for all eternity.”

“Does it hurt?” David finally asks, shakily meeting Daniel’s button gaze. 

“It feels like a little pinch, Davey. Then the pain goes away.”

“Can...c-can I think on it?”

“Sure. Be quick, though...I've waited long enough for you. I’d rather not wait anymore.”

He nodded, taking the blonde’s hand. “O-Okay,” he whispers, forcing his voice to stay unwavering, “I will.” A pause, then, “But I would like to go to bed now.”

“Before dessert? Are you sure? I've made your favorite.”

David shoved the chair backwards, a little too harshly. He winced and gave a curt nod, steadying his trembling body against the table. “Yup, positive! G-Goodnight, Daniel!”

Before the man in all white could respond, David scrambled out of the dining room, up the stairs and into his own bedroom. He shut the door, his breathing uneven.

_ Button eyes? To be with him I have to get...button eyes?  _ Swallowing thickly, the redhead crawled into bed and curled up under his sheets.  _ I love him but...should I really leave Gwen behind? Max can come here, but...what about the other Gwen? _

The opposite side of his brain fought him again.  _ This Gwen is better! She doesn't spit insults or crude words and is much nicer and caring. The other Gwen would be fine without you, anyway. _

_ But so would this one, wouldn't she? _

_ But Daniel would miss you. _

“AGH!” David groaned into his pillow, shoving his face into the nicely smelling cover. Then he tossed and turned, thrashing about violently under the blankets.

And eventually, he decided.

David came to the agonising decision he would have to make the following morning.

_ Daniel…! _   
  


_ \--------- _   
  


Sleep didn't come easily to him that night, his mind wild and restless. David couldn't help wonder if he was doing the right thing.

_ What exactly  _ is  _ the right choice? _

_ I love Daniel...he loves me...but can I just throw the other Gwen away? That seems unfair. _

_ I wonder how Max would feel about this. _

And finally, when sleep did overtake him, David dreamt of both the good and bad; spending eternity with his only love, then watching the real world turn to ashes and burn.

David awoke not long after, clutching his chest and listening to the roar of his heartbeat in his ears, his breathing coming fast and erratic. Sucking in a sharp breath of air to steady himself, the red-head climbed slowly out of bed. His joints locked up, his gaze sweeping the room.

“I'm still here?!”

The young man’s eyes widened and he found he was frozen stiff with fear.  _ Is Daniel not going to give me space to think? Or has he read my mind? _

A shiver went up his spine.

_ Come on, David. You can do this.  _ With tears streaming down his pale freckled cheeks, he left the room and descended the steps to the first floor. He approached the double wooden doors to the living room and tugged on their handles, desperately wanting out. Daniel would have to get his answer never, then, if he was going to keep him trapped here in the Other World.

“Locked?” he whispered to himself, glancing over his shoulder fearfully. He was afraid, afraid he was being watched. David wiped his sleeve across his face, smearing his wet tears.  _ This is getting creepy...it's too dark in here. Too quiet. I need to get out. _

Sliding in his socks on the wooden floor in his panic, David scurried out of the apartment and out the front door.  _ Maybe Gwen can help me,  _ he thought, running out into the chilly night air and towards his friend’s apartment door. He stopped at her apartment.

_ ‘Davey… Gwen pulled a long face. She...won't be able to talk to you for a while. Please forgive me, Davey~’ _

The red-head took a few steps back, breathing quickly. “What did you do, Daniel?” he whispered to the piece of paper stuck to the door, “What did you do to her?”

Then he ran-he ran as far as he could down the familiar path, the one he strolled down those few days ago. Though it felt like years.

“M-Max?!” 

Then he skidded to an abrupt stop, spotting the little curly-haired boy standing a few feet away, standing idly on the worn-down path. Right in front of the boulders where David first threw that faithful rock, back in the real world.

Max nodded, removing his hands from his blue hoodie pockets and smirked. “What do you think you're doing?”

“Well...I'm getting out of here,” he breathed in response, walking over on quivering legs. “That's what I'm doing.”

Max turned and started walking suddenly, wordlessly. The aura about him seemed almost mocking.

David gratefully followed, relieved. He wouldn't have to endure this alone, even if Max decided to stay quiet most of the time.

But to the young man’s confusion, the world around them began to gradually fade into complete empty white. The dead trees that stood around them began to break away, the muddy ground below their feet growing more and more non-existent. “I-Isn't this where the well is supposed to be?”

Both of their footsteps echoed across the empty space; the only sound now. Not even the wind whistled by their ears anymore. “There's nothing out here. It's the empty part of this world, David. He only makes what you desire.”

“Why does he want me so badly?” David’s voice was mere timid whisper.

“I think,” Max said, eyes glinting as he stared ahead into the void of nothing, “ _ he just wants someone to love. _ Something that isn't himself.” Then he sneered up at David. “Or maybe he just wants something to eat.”

_ Max warned me about that... _

David squeaked weakly and looked away awkwardly, the tiniest hint of a blush on his cheeks. Was he flattered? Disgusted?

He wasn't sure.

For the remainder of the walk they stayed silent, David just wallowing in his never-ending thoughts. And then the unexpected happened: the world returned, the Pink Palace Apartments rapidly coming into view. The two of them stopped right before Daniel’s front porch, the young man appearing startled. “What? How can you come back to something you walked away from, Max?”

“Walk around the world.”

“...Small world.”

Before either of them could do anything, a curious sounding  _ quack!  _ came from within a nearby shrub, near a small patch of trees. The little boy the red-head had come to care for ran off, towards the noise. David couldn't say anything. He was too stunned and used to this action. But this time Max returned, holding a platypus by the neck.

“What the heck?! Stop! It's one of the circus platypuses!”

Max scowled at the older man and snapped its neck in one swift movement. David gasped, taking a step back in horror. But the platypus grew in the boy’s grasp. It grew into a monstrous beast, its beak fanged and its webbed paws clawed. Dust poured out of its mouth instead of blood, pooling into a small pile on the ground. 

“I don't like these pussies,” the curly-haired kid murmured, throwing the body aside. “Each one of them should go to hell.”

David didn't even think to scold Max about his language this time. Instead, he simply uttered a soft and frightened  _ thank you _ . Max just waved the red-head off and turned away. “Do something about that monster, would you? I can't fucking get home when he's blocking the door.”

Taking a deep breath, David grimly nodded. “I was going to...eventually.”

“How about now?”

“I'm...scared.”

“Then be brave.” And then once more, Max was gone.

_ Well so much for enduring this with company. _ He rubbed his goosebump-covered arms. “Max, please come back,” he muttered to the ground, kicking a pebble with his dirty socks. “I don't like it when you run off.”

He raised his gaze, focusing in the apartment building.  _ Well, I guess this  _ is  _ something I have to face on my own. Whether I want to or not. _

David inhaled deeply again before heading up the steps and marching to the door. He swiped a cane from a bucket sitting near the door on the way in, holding it close to his chest. Was it just him, or did the hallway seem more dark and silent than before he left? The young man shook his head, swallowing fearfully as he shoved the cane through the handles of the doors leading to the living room. Then he tugged, yanking hard at the handles. The noise they made as the clattered to the floor made David jump, the sound amplified in the eerie silence.

_ You can do this. Almost there! _

David pulled the door open, wincing as its creaking broke the suffocating silence. Tense, he peered inside. The light from the hallway shone bright on the door, hiding the rest of the room in black. The only thing that mattered to David, though was that his exit was intact.  _ Oh thank goodness, the tiny door isn't blocked!  _ Relief overtook him in a surge as he stepped forward on quiet feet, making his way over to it.

But the door slammed behind him, making the young man cry out in fear. An odd looking cabinet-it appeared as if were melting, the material was even moving downwards but never touching the floor-slithered over, parking itself in front of the small door just as the rest of the room became illuminated with violet. David backed up away from the moving cabinet and turned to come face to face with a handful of other assortments of  _ living  _ furniture, including a coffee table and a large chair. Everything in the living room reminded him of something, something like a beverage. But he couldn't place a finger on it.

The chair then turned, revealing the person it held.

Daniel.

_...Oh gosh. _


	5. Mistake?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is suPER bad. But this week and the week before have been really rough and I've barely had much free time.
> 
> Please forgive me for how short it is! I'm going to be busy in the next few days, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be;;
> 
> Sorry guys!! <3

“Please, have a seat, darling,” the blonde mused, beckoning to another chair from behind David. The seat slithered up and forced the red-head to sit, the liquid material of it curling around around his ankles and wrists, pulling him back.

David tried to get up, but the chair’s restraints were too strong. Instead he settled with scowling at the man opposite of him, frightened and confused.  “Why won't you let me leave?”

Daniel regarded him with a gaze filled with a faint trace of sympathy. “Because if I let you leave...how could I be sure you’d come back?”

“Do you not trust me?”

“It's not that,” Daniel said, standing up and striding towards his prisoner, “it's just…”

When the blonde stopped in front of David, the freckled man gulped and stared up into his other’s button eyes, meekly whispering, “it's just what?”

“You're mine,” purred Daniel, bending over to gently caress David’s cheek, taking his head in both hands. Their noses were now inches apar, electricity almost sparking between them from the extreme tension. “ _Mine_. I won't let anyone else have you. I can't...risk you going back out there.”

David felt a shiver tickle his spine, eyelids fluttering. He should be appalled, disgusted at the obsession Daniel had of him.

But honestly?

_It turns me on?! Gosh dang it! Stop!_

“You're the only one I feel this way for, Danny,” David told him, staring into the buttons that were so very close. At this range, he could even see tiny threads of the string sticking up out of place, even the black emptiness of the eye socket beyond the button holes. It unnerved him.  _How the heck can he see, actually?_  He shook those thoughts away, making sure to ask them later at a more...appropriate time. “I wouldn't run. I just need time to think and, well.” He paused briefly. “Tell everyone goodbye.”

Instantly Daniel’s lips tugged into a wide grin. He backed up a few feet-though still uncomfortably close- beaming expectantly. “Tell everyone goodbye? Does that mean-”

“Yes. I'm staying, Daniel.” David swallowed thickly, shifting a little in the liquidy chair. “I've decided.”

In an instant, their lips crashed together for a moment-pure ecstasy for Daniel and a mix of horror and love for David-and the blonde crossed his arms behind his back, standing tall. “I'm so happy! This is...this is the _best_ day of my life! You’re the best, Davey!”

“Yeah,” murmured David, wincing. He was so confused. Should he really stay? Daniel was... _possessive_. But David absolutely loved it.

But David also knew he’d be letting down Gwen.

His family, too.

And most of all, Max.

As the other swooped down to plant a kiss against the red-head’s lips, David turned his head to the side. Daniel met his cheek and in surprise he reeled back, his eyebrows raised. “However-” he said, green eyes slowly moving to meet blue, “I want to go back for a day. I want to say goodbye to my friends.”

Buttons narrowed almost immediately. “I told you. I don’t want you going back.”

Heavily exhaling, David flinched and scowled again, sitting up straighter in defiance. “Let me go back, Daniel.”

“I said no.”

“Well I said yes!”

Daniel grabbed the edges of the mysteriously moving coffee table and overturned it, sending it crashing into the wall, his emotions reeling, turning sour in a matter of seconds. “No, David!” he roared, rage apparent in every tense muscle of his body. “You’re _not_ going back. I’m not going to tell you again.” And with that, he grabbed the freckled arm of his love and yanked him out of the chair as it released him from its hold, dragging David out of the room and down the hall with an ironclad grip. The red-head screamed and struggled, trying to break free of his captor, but to no avail. “D-Daniel-!”

The blonde hissed and stopped at the end of the downstairs hallway, halting in front of a slightly cracked mirror David had never noticed before. Both of their reflections gazed back at each other: David was a mess, his fluffy auburn hair even more out of place, complete with a few stray leaves from his adventure outside and his lower half soaked in mud, feet barely even recognizable. Daniel fared no better, button eyes ablaze with fury, the muscles in his arms clenched and bulging out of vampire-pale skin as he held David’s wrist tightly in his hand.

“Until you learn how to behave,” said man purred, his angry gaze softening just a little as it fell upon his soon-to-be lover, “you’ll stay in here.”

And David was shoved roughly into the mirror, darkness engulfing him like flames and the damp floor came up to meet his face.

“W-What? No! You can’t do this!!” he shouted, eyes wide and body trembling as he scrambled to his feet, stumbling blindly towards the wall, the spot he assumed he came from. He pounded on the brick, tears welling up once more. “Don’t-don’t-no-you-you...you can’t do this to me! I love you,” David whimpered pathetically, sliding slowly down the wet brick wall, invisible to his emerald eyes within the darkness. Fists in balls, he sobbed against the the concrete, able to hold back his dam of emotions.

Was he wrong about everything? Was Daniel actually just using him?  _This couldn’t have been a ploy just so he could eat me_. All of those kisses, all of those beautiful moments...the garden, that night, those dinners,  _the gift_ , he thought, a quivering hand grasping the bandana that fit so perfectly around his neck, hugging it just as gently as Daniel’s arms would. Daniel wouldn’t have given him such grand hospitality unless he felt something towards David. There was no other explanation.  _He loves me. I can tell._

_Does he?_

_He does!_  David snapped at himself, curling up in a small ball on the dirty floor of whatever shitty prison cell the devil outside had thrown him in. Daniel had to love him. It was twisted and sick, sure; their love was certainly not for sane people, whether David acknowledged that fact or not. He was in some kind of cell right now, and if that wasn’t a sign of insanity, nothing was. But Daniel felt something for him. The red-head knew it deep down.

Max just had to be wrong.

Yeah. That’s it.

Max was _wrong_. The kid was obviously just trying to look out for him in this odd world.

Weakly, David sat up, pushing himself away from the moist, moldy wall. He’d get out of here, say goodbye to everyone, then return and spend the rest of his life with his only true love; the demon to his angel.

And finally, after what felt like ages, he found the strength to stand. The prisoner got to his feet, wiping his hot tears away with the back of his hands. Even with his blurry vision, he could still see his erratic breath billow out in front of him, the wisp illuminated by a faint light emitting from the corner of the dark, moldy, brick room. Wondering if the newly-noticed mysterious glow was an escape route, David inched his way over, hands now curled comfortingly around his sides at a poor attempt to warm himself up. He was mistaken, however, as the light was coming from a figure-no, make that two figures- beneath a dirty blanket, lying restless on top of an equally disgustingly damp and mold-coated bed. With a timid hand, the red-head gently tugged the cover back, revealing the source of light. David gasped, staggering backwards and almost toppling over his feet at the sight before him.

Two pale blue ghosts fluttered up, lingering too close for comfort near David. They shone with a dim light, casting shadows along the walls behind them, their forms small and frail. Obviously children, the two spirits moaned in agony, fixating their gazes on their savior. Their  _button_  gazes.

“Please, sir, help us,” rasped a first one, her voice high-pitched and squeaky. This ghost was very small, around the same age as Max, her hair tied up in a ponytail, the thick locks of it complementing the sides of her face. A tattered floral dress swished delicately around her bare feet. This child heavily reminded him of Gwen, if only when she was younger.

The second ghost drifted even closer, his thickened brows furrowed in a deep sadness that David felt rolling off him in waves. This child had bouncing curly hair that fluffed up in random places that brought out his smooth, caring boyish face. The red-head found the boy’s shoes quite charming; even with his floating form void of any color, he could still tell that those shoes were LA Gear Light Up Shoes. The beginnings of a smile tugged at David’s lips, but disappeared as soon as reality came crashing down once more.

David took small steps backwards, into the wall. “W-Who are you? Are you a-a-actually g-ghosts?” he whispered, taking in a quick, sharp breath. This was very much so alarming, especially noting that they were trapped in here as well and must have been for a long time. A pang of sadness and guilt bubbled within the red-head.

“Hush and shush,” whispered the two ghosts, flashes of concern washing over their features as they exchanged a short glance, “the Cultist may be listening.”

“You...you mean Daniel?” David asked them in response, brows furrowing together.

They nod and David squeaks out another question, deciding to gloss over that answer for now: “W-Who are you?”

“We don’t remember our names,” the girl said, floating behind the terrified red-head slowly. “But I remember my real friends.” Sorrow radiated off of her in waves, her mouth twisted downwards into a grimace. David’s heart ached at the sight of it. His heart ached for both of them: how long had they been in here? How long had they suffered in the darkness in this dirty, damp room? His lips quivered, frantic gaze flickering between the poor souls. “W-Why are you here? How long…?”

“The Cultist threw us in here. For years. It totally sucks,” said the little boy.

The girl nodded solemnly. “He spied on our lives through the little doll’s eyes and saw that we weren’t happy.”

“So he lured us away with fantastic little gifts and games.”

“But we still wanted more.”

The two locked hands as they took turns spinning their tale, their ghostly corporeal forms glittering in their glowing blue light.

“So we let him sew on the buttons…”

“He said that he loved us...but he locked us here-”

“And instead ate up our lives.”

David shivered, whether it was from the boy phasing through his body a moment ago or from pure fear, he didn’t know. Horrified, he turned to face the lost souls, mouth slightly agape.  _They are...kids. I’m an adult. I think Daniel really loves me, despite...this…_ “He’s n-not going to keep me in here, in the dark, forever. I-I’m going to get out and face him about this.”

The two children exchanged another glance, this time uncertain. “Perhaps if you truly find an escape...could you find our eyes?” As the boy spoke, the other raised her hands, covering her button eyes in a weak gesture.

“He’s taken those too?!” The red-head’s eyes wide unbelievably wide in disbelief. Why had Daniel done this? _This is beyond horrible_. He shook his head, inhaling deeply.

“Yes,” the girl said, “and hidden them.”

The boy gave a thumbs up, a small smile peeking at the edge of his mouth. “Find our eyes and our souls will be free!”

David, clenching his trembling fists together, gave the two opposite of him a curt nod. “I’ll try.”

And suddenly, cutting their meeting short, hands bled through the wall behind the green-eyed man and latched onto his freckled face, pulling him out of the darkness.

 David screamed as the wall devoured him whole, pulling him back whence he came.


	6. Heartbreaking Dispute

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow!! It was only thanks to the comments on the last chapter that I was able to push through this week and get this chapter ready! If it wasn't for you guys, I doubt I would've been able to get this out this weekend, let alone even in this week. Thank you all so much; it really helps me create the best work I possibly can. You guys bring the biggest smiles to my face. Every single comment means so much!!  
> So, as a thanks for being such awesome and encouraging readers, behold: the longest chapter yet!!! Plus with some more Max action ;)))
> 
> LOVE YOU GUYS <333
> 
> Also! Minor fix, but I changed the owner of the Pink Palace Apartments to Gwen's mother, not her grandmother as stated in Chapter 2.

The blood-curdling scream emitting from David’s lungs came to a stop as a hand clamped tightly over his mouth, shutting him up almost immediately. Muffled, the young man squirmed in the grasp of his mysterious captor, all too afraid of it being Daniel. He wasn’t prepared to talk just yet; his head was still spinning from his previous encounter with the ghosts.  
  
But it was not the said white devil, to his astonishment.   
  
As green eyes met violet buttons in the mirror in front of the pair, David froze. Gwen released her hold on her friend, backing up with a small scowl on her face. Except, she couldn’t scowl properly: her lips were sewn upwards in a large, beaming smile, the thread winding between her plump and swollen lips. Bruises dappled her face, especially around her mouth.   
  
David squirmed out of uneasiness, briefly remembering that sign that was written on Gwen’s door. He was really going to have to have a talk with Daniel.   
  
But somehow, he still felt his deep longing towards the blonde, despite this horrid cruelty. David didn’t understand.   
  
How did he still have feelings for that... _monster?!_   
  
“Gwen? What-how-”   
  
She interrupted him, shaking her head as she put a finger to his lips to hush him. Wary, the brunette glanced into the mirror to peer down the hall, then over her shoulder in paranoia. Daniel could be lurking around any corner.   
  
David swallowed thickly, shakily moving his hand up her near mouth. As disgusting as it was, the red-head grabbed the end of the string which stuck up at an angle at the corner of his friend’s twitching mouth. He tugged at the thread, slowly pulling it out of the stitching that kept her in pain. Once it was out, still pure white and absent of any expected blood, Gwen let out a sigh of relief, thanking the young man with her button eyes.   
  
He shook his head, grimacing. “I hope that feels better! Uh, Gwen, I’m so sorry. I...I...I’m going to do something about this. All of it.” Then his long, slender arms wrapped around her thin frame in a warm embrace. “And thank you for saving me from that dark place.”   
  
The only response he got was a smile in return, a hand clasping his shoulder tightly. Gwen gave him a grim nod. He pulled away, forcing a determined smile. It efficiently masked how distraught he felt.   
  
Which was extremely distraught, nonetheless. David could not understand how he still felt for this man-no, this monster. Daniel’s sweet kisses, the tender moments they shared...weren’t they just all a facade to entice David? He shook his head.   
  
Whether Daniel wanted to eat David or not, the green-eyed man still felt longing and desire within his gut. He wasn’t as disgusted at his love as he should have been; the obsession and ruthless torture of the many who have wandered into this world did not frighten David all that much. Instead, the more he thought about it, the more he realised that it made his stomach do a flip and his heart pound with some sort of unhealthy thrill.   
  
And then everything fell into place.   
  
He’d save Gwen. Then find Max. Then he’d live with Daniel for the rest of his days.   
  
“Let’s go,” David blurts, eyes growing cold suddenly as he stared at the brunette’s broken expression.   
  
Looking startled, Gwen nods, gripping his shoulder briefly before turning and hurrying off down the hall. With one last look at his disheveled self in the mirror, David trailed after her lead. They ran as fast as they could on quiet feet, scrambling into the living room, swinging the doors open with a _boom_ . It was dark now, absent of Daniel and his mysteriously creepy furniture. Save for one of his ugly tall dresser, which was no longer twisting with the purple liquid. It was frozen in time.   
  
“David? Is that you?”   
  
David pushed it over, knowing exactly what laid beyond it. The dresser landed with a crash, shaking the creaking wood floor beneath his feet.   
  
“David!”   
  
Ignoring the sound, the auburn-haired man crouched, flinging the small door open, teeth grit. For a moment he hesitated; the once glowing, enchanting hallway between worlds was now dusted, filled with the same puddles of the violet liquid that made up Daniel’s furniture. The walls of it were dark and gray, no longer full of life. He turned to Gwen who was watching carefully and sucked up his anxiety for the sake of his friend.   
  
He pursed his lips, continuing to ignore Daniel’s calls for him from the upper floor. “Get in.”   
  
Gwen simply tilted her head, confused.   
  
“Go! I’m going to...I’m going to save you! He won’t be able to hurt you anymore,” David whispered harshly, grabbing his friend’s hand and pulling. Then he gasped, Gwen’s hand turning to dust in his grip. It fluttered to the floor, blown away by an invisible wind. Green met purple hues and Gwen shook her head, a sadness overshadowing her features. Her stump was hidden behind her back, almost in a shameful manner.   
  
_Click click click_ . The sound of soled shoes echoed from outside the room, followed with, “David, how dare you disobey my orders!”   
  
“But-” the redhead started, desperation obvious on his face as he searched for what to do, though he was cut short by the door at the end of the tunnel opening. A silhouette shouted from the real world at him. “David, you dumbfuck! Hurry up!”   
  
His head snapped around, his eyes just barely making out the figure; a tanned boy with curly black hair.   
  
“MAX!”   
  
Without a second thought, he gave Gwen one last look of remorse and tumbled into the cramped hallway. She slammed the door shut behind him.

She took a deep breath. Finally. Finally, David came to his senses. Gwen knew he would eventually; how could someone still want to be with this demon after all that?

The young woman stood from where she crouched and turned, dusting herself off. She’d face Daniel once and for all. No more bullying. No more hurting.

Then _he_ came into the room, blue buttons glittering in the dim light. Daniel’s gaze met hers quickly and he grinned. It was unnatural, twisting with insanity. _Good,_ she thought, _he's falling apart. He lost his prey._

“Gwen.”

She leveled his glare with her own, raising a hand to say what she wanted to say. _Fuck you!_

Then he was on her, a hand on her throat and a snarl underlying his tone, “You're going to pay for costing me him, you know that, right?” His grip tightened and Gwen began to choke and splutter violently, feet dangling helplessly in the air. Daniel’s grin widened, then it softened just as fast, the impossible affection shining in his buttons. For a second, Gwen was actually confused. _Is that...real affection?_

But then the confusion was gone, replaced ultimately with fear.

“You're going to die for costing me my one true love.”

As Gwen released a final choked out scream, David was crawling his way to the other side, grimacing each time the mysterious liquid splashed on his arms and legs, coating him with the sticky substance. Max reached his arms out, grabbing David once he was within reach and pulled him out through the other side, surprisingly strong. The pair collapsed, David gasping for air from the struggle and Max mumbling something about being annoyed. Then the boy stood hurriedly, slamming the small door shut and locking it, wheezing.  
  
“I’m...I’m so glad to see you again, Max!” David huffed, rolling over and grabbing him, pulling him to the floor and close to the red-head’s chest, hugging him tightly. The kid kicked and screamed for a second, bewildered and disgusted by David’s stickiness, then relaxed and actually hugged him back.   
  
“Me too, you asshole.”   
  
  
  
\-------------   
  
  
  
Like father like son, the two of them were seated at the table in the dining room, eating some sort of take out food that was highly questionable. Since David’s groceries had gone bad while he was away- _how long was I gone?-_ he had to find something else to suffice for the time being.   
  
And this time, Max wasn’t going anywhere.   
  
“Where do you even head off to when you run away from me?” David asked, glancing over at the child across from him. He only huffed and replied, “None of your business.”   
  
“It is too!”   
  
“Is not!”   
  
“Is too!”   
  
Max growled. “Okay, fine. I’ll tell you only if you promise you won’t go back to Daniel.”   
  
He stiffened and dropped his gaze. “Well, I was planning on going back after saying goodbye-”   
  
“Excuse me? You still wanna go back to that fucking demon?!” The air sparked with tension and disbelief.   
  
“Hey. Language,” David said, flashing Max a look, “but yes, I am. I love him, Max.”   
  
The child choked on his food, cyan eyes wide as he processed what had just been said. “Huh?”   
  
David sighed and Max almost thought it was a dreamy sigh. Almost. “I love him,” he mumbled, eyes glassy, “despite what he’s done. I can’t help it. It’s like...we’re made for each other.”   
  
“That’s the _dumbest_ shit I’ve ever heard. No one is made for each other! Bullshit! There’s no such thing as soulmates. No matter how hard you believe that, no matter how hard you wish that, _they aren’t real!_ It’s a myth that people make up so that they have comfort in their partners they choose, stupid. It’s merely a reassurance method of coping with the annoyances the person you decide to love has.”   
  
Mouth agape, David stared at the boy sitting across from him who was radiating vexation. Their eyes didn’t meet and the redhead shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Then he cleared his throat. “Is that what you really believe?”   
  
“I don’t just believe it. I know it.”   
  
“Max…”   
  
“Don’t give me that look,” the boy scowled, glaring back at the young man whose eyes were as wide and shining as a pathetic puppy.   
  
“But Max, have you ever experienced true love? How would you know?” he countered, biting his lip.   
  
“If it works anything like how a parent feels for their child, then yes, I do know.”   
  
Silence. David was startled into silence; what had Max gone through? Had his parents abandoned him? _Was this...._ “Is this why you always run off? Are you...afraid of me?”   
  
The little kid looked scandalized. “What?! F-Fuck no!” He stood up on his chair, pointing a disapproving finger at the other. “How dare you say that! I am _not_ afraid, dumbass. No way.”   
  
Still quiet, David also stood, moving over to where Max stood timidly on his chair, the anger flaring in his cyan orbs masking the hidden fear beneath his many layers. David saw through this for once. For once, he was able to not be oblivious. For once, he understood. And so, he swept the tanned child up into his arms, hugging him for the second time that day. “There’s absolutely no reason to be afraid. I’d never do anything to hurt you.”   
  
Max stopped struggling, going limp against David’s slender and warm chest. “How can I trust that?” he mumbled against the fabric of his new, clean shirt he had changed into earlier, “how do I know you won’t turn around and leave me?”   
  
His heart went out for this boy. The red-head felt awful, knowing he couldn’t really do anything to help Max get over his shoddy past. But he could reassure him and make him feel loved. Just like a dad would with his son.   
  
David had always wanted to be a father.   
  
A hand ruffled Max’s curly, jet black hair, and he beamed a big smile as he spoke, his chest puffed up with sincerity. “Because I...even though we don’t know each other well, I view you as my son. You’re a good kid, Max! Even if you don’t think so yourself.” David gently set the boy back on the chair, trying to make eye contact, but to no avail. “Yeah, you’ve got anger issues and lash out too quickly, but that’s what makes you, well, you. That’s your personality. I love that about you. You’ve also helped me the entire time I’ve been here, whether you know that or not. Sometimes you have a lot of wisdom!”   
  
Now Max was peering up at the older man through his curls, eyes watery and his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “Shut up.”   
  
David kneeled down next to him, shaking his head. “I’m not going to, Max. Because I mean every word. I really care about you.”   
  
“But you’re gonna go back to Daniel!” Before he realised it, David was being shoved back, his back connecting with the wall haphazardly, legs giving out from underneath him. Stunned, he looked up, surprised at the outburst. Max was stronger than he looked, as proved earlier, and that was still something the red-head could barely grasp. The boy was shaking, fists curled into balls and paling to paper-white from how hard he dug his nails into his palms. “You’re going to go back to Daniel,” he repeated, rage and heartbreak lacing every word, “and that means you’re leaving me. Abandoning me. Just like everyone else has! You seriously have _no right_ saying those dumb things! Because you don’t mean any of it. You don’t mean a single word. Why are you going back to Daniel? Because he’s your ‘soulmate’? **_Bullshit_ ** . Just stop. Just _shut up,_ David.”   
  
Max leapt off the chair, throwing David one last glare. If looks could kill, David would be dead several times over. But he already felt dead inside; Max hated him now.   
  
Max hated him, and it was all his fault.   
  
“M-Max-”   
  
The fuming child cut him off almost instantly. “Goodbye, David. Have fun with your demon _boyfriend_ .” Then he was gone, running out the front door. The young man swore he saw tears fly from behind Max as he disappeared, out into the twilight evening air.   
  
David sat, hunched against the wall from where he had fallen for quite some time. He felt as if his heart was broken, cracked, shattered across the ground, sprawled out in tiny bits. He didn’t understand what exactly had gone wrong- _all I was trying to do was comfort him…_ He put his head in his head, letting out a pitiful sob. He was losing everything and everyone, all in a matter of a week’s time. _Does anyone really love me?_ David wiped away tears, struggling for air as his crying made his lungs burn. _Of course not. You're a fuckup, David. No one actually cares._

Then he paused, blinking a few times as his gaze drifted to the empty chair Max had left in front of him. There sat his doll, the mini David.

_Daniel still cares._

In a mad scramble, the red-head was up and about, grabbing the doll and staring at it intensely. _This is...Daniel’s, right? He said he used it to spy on me._

“D-Danny?” he breathed, only considering his foolish child behaviour for talking to a doll for a moment. “If you...y-you can actually see me through this, I want you to know that I'm c-coming back. I haven't left you. Okay? I...I lo-”

There was an abrupt ring from his front door, causing the man to jump and drop the tiny David in surprise. Again he wiped away his tears and they warm streaks they left, hoping his eyes weren’t too puffy. “C-Coming!!”

As he reached for the doorknob, a small smile made it's way onto his lips. “Max? Did you decide to come ba-” then he stopped short, saying instead, “oh, sorry, talking Gwen! Max was just here and I had thought…”

She looked confused and annoyed, lips pursed in a thin line. “Um, right…” she said, furrowing her brows. If she noticed David’s horrible state, she didn't mention it. “Anyway, I came by to ask if you’ve seen a weird doll of some kind? It was my mother’s and it was stolen. Don't know when, but she just noticed it was gone and-”

“Your mom lives with you? I didn't see her when I visited,” David interrupted.

Gwen frowned a little. “Oh, she was out somewhere. But that's not the point. Have you seen the doll or not?”

The young man tilted his head, thinking. “You said it was stolen?” he asked.

“Yes. It was. Must’ve been someone around here. I have a sneaking suspicion, but…”

“Oh, it wasn't me,” David replied, slowly coming to the realisation. “But I know who it was! Aw, c’mon Max.” He added the last part to himself, shaking his head in disappointment.

Gwen scoffed, groaning. “So it was that little fucker!”

“Y-Yeah but it looks like me, so I understand why he would’ve wanted to give it to me.”

“It...looks like you? Last time I saw it, it looked like my mother’s sister.”

David nods eagerly, though frowning in deep thought. “Yes! It looks like me now. And if that's so, then it must have been the boy with the LED light-up shoes as well. Then...that girl was your mom’s sister! I think I just met her. Come on,” he rambled, eyes widening as it finally dawned on him. The red-head grabbed his friend’s hand, yanking her into his apartment. He dragged her down the main hall, showing her to the living room. Her complaints echoed through the tense atmosphere, loud and clipped.

“I'm not...uh, David I-I don't really want to be in here. This places gives me hardcore creeps. David wh-”

“Your aunt is in there.” When the green-eyed man pointed to the tiny door, Gwen scowled. “Um. This isn't really a laughing matter, David! Max made fun of this too and I did _not_ appreciate it-”

“No, you don't understand,” he said stiffly, placing a hand on the wallpaper covering the door, “she’s seriously in there! But she can't escape without her eyes. None of them can…”

“Whatever. I just need that doll, okay?” Her voice was now softer, quieter. When David glanced over at the brunette, she seemed terrified. Whether because he probably appeared insane right now or whether she believed him, David didn't know.

“Alright. You can have it back; I won't be needing it any longer.”

Gwen didn't ask.

When he found the doll was no longer in the kitchen, the auburn-haired man lead his friend upstairs. “Where are you, little me?” he called, stepping into his room to get a good look around.

Gwen wrinkled up her nose in displeasure. “Um, you and my mom’s sis been...talking?”

“Oh, no,” he shook his head, sighing a bit dreamily as he dug through piles of blankets and pillows scattered about the room, “the doll is how he spies on me. How he watches me and how he fell in love with me.”

“What?”

David started rummaging through a chest in the corner, pulling out books and the like as he spoke. There was a smile on his face. “He lives in this Other World. He makes better food! Everything is better! You don't talk...the neighbors perform shows...it's so beautiful. Golly, it's amazing, Gwen. I love it there.”

She appeared very, very unnerved now. “Right,” she mused, taking a step back. “I'll just come back for the doll later, ‘kay? You need to take a load off. Get a good nap. Get some good food.”

“Do you not believe me?” He was facing her now, moving towards her. There was something in his eyes that she didn't recognise. Something frightening.

Something akin to _crazy._

“If you don't believe me, ask Max!”

“...Max? Uh, no thanks. I'll just tell my mother you didn't find the doll,” she mutters frantically, backing up more towards the door.

“Are you even listening?”

“No, I'm not, David. Because you obviously are going through something. I'll just...come back later!” And Gwen bolted, causing David to wince. _Now she's running from me like Max? Gosh dang it!_

“Gwen, wait!” He ran after her too, determined to explain further. “I promise I'm not crazy!”

“I never said that!” She snapped back, sprinting out the door as David made it to the bottom of the steps.

“Then stop!”

“No!”

Then she was gone, slamming her apartment door roughly, the sound bouncing off the trees, breaking the silence of the night. The red-head watched her go, standing in his doorway with his face contorted in a grimace. His hands were trembling, face pale and drained of color. _How could everything have fallen apart so badly?_ David closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Max hated him now. There wasn't anything he could do about that. Did Gwen hate him too, or merely think he was insane?

Afterall, he probably was. No use denying that any further.

David turned back around, facing his apartment. His dark, lonely apartment. The young man shut the door behind him, feeling oddly calm.  His sanity slipped away.

David had lost everything that was close to him; Max, his best friend. But he hadn't lost Daniel. No, not yet.

And not ever.  
  


\---------------

  


_“Max!”_

_“What, Gwen?”_

_“I thought I told you to call me ‘mom.”_

_“Hell no. Just because you adopted me doesn't mean I'm gonna call you mom, dumbass.”_

_“Goddammit, Max. Behave. Do you_ want _me to leave you in that empty apartment by yourself? I didn't_ have _to take you in after your parents left you, you know!”_

_Max flinched, tearing his gaze away from the older woman towering above him from his spot on the floor. He hugged Mr. Honeynuts closer to his chest. “Whatever.”_

_Gwen scowled, throwing her hands up in the air. “Fine, be that way. Just...come join us in the living room soon, before dinner’s ready. Got it?”_

_Silence._

_“_ Got it? _” Gwen asked more sternly, gritting her teeth. Another flinch. “Yeah. Got it.”_

_“Good. Hurry up, then.”_

_When she left, Max stood and ran over to the door and stood in front of it, staring down the white chips of painting sticking up in places, ready to crack right off. He hated this place. He hated it so much._ At least it's better than being with my stupid parents, _Max thought, closing his eyes briefly, clutching his stuffed teddy bear tightly. Gwen was nice. At least, when she wanted to be. But Max really liked her mom. She was a sweet old lady, one who always sassed those around her and played pranks on people, despite her crippling age. If anything, Max was glad she was here too._

_So downstairs the black-haired boy went, ready to listen in on another one of Gwen’s grandmother’s famous stories. And when he walked in, he stumbled into one he recognised Gwen had mentioned in passing before. One he wasn't supposed to hear. Not yet, at least._

_Max pressed his back against the wall, eavesdropping on the conversation in the den._

_“Oh, Gwen. It was so long ago...your aunt would’ve loved you so much. Would’ve been so damn proud.”_

_“I know, mom. It sucks I didn't get to meet her.” Plates clattered as she spoke in a slightly dull tone. Like she’d heard this all before, many times._

_“I think it's this apartment building. I think it's haunted, y’know? My sister would disappear for hours on end, then just reappear as if she’d never been gone. She showed me this tiny door in the wall, telling me that's where she’d go. I never went in. Too creepy for me, oh no. But she’d talk about these grand adventures, great food and the alike...and this one man. Dave? Danny? I can't recall, but this man was like the father we never had. He turned my sister just right, gave her everything she’d ever want. And then one day...she was gone.” A soft, solemn sigh. “If she was telling the truth-and oh, Gwen, I do believe her-she must’ve disappeared into that door. That Danny fellow took her. And oh, did I try to get into that door...but it was locked, I tell you. It was locked. So I took a crowbar and pried it open: nothing. It was like a black abyss into nothing.”_

_“Seriously? That's all it was?”_

_“Yes, dear. It was nothingness; the absence of any light, any object. Pure, absolute, nothing. So I locked it again and waited for years, hoping something would happen. I hoped my sister would return. But she never did...so I blocked off that wall. Put bricks up so no one else would ever get lost in there. So no one else would get stolen.”_

_Max poked his head around the corner now, sensing the story was coming to a close. Gwen was kneeling by the old recliner his mother was sitting in, a small smile on her face. It was obvious the brunette believed none of it. “I'm so sorry, mom.”_

_Before Gwen’s grandma could reply, Max burst into the room, flailing his arms around dramatically. “Yeah, I'm sorry too. Sorry you believe that_ bullshit. _”_

_“What-? Max!” Gwen scolded, standing and storming over to her adopted son. “Apologise! Now!”_

_“No,” he snapped, baring his teeth. “Your sister ran away! You have to realise that! This isn't some-some-some fairytale!”_

_The poor old lady looked frightened, sitting up abruptly. “B-But it is the truth!”_

_The black-haired boy scowled, shaking his head. “I'm sorry, but no way. You have to realise that she had to have ran away. There's no other explanation.”_

Smack. _Heat and pain flared in Max’s cheek and he slowly turned to Gwen, meeting her gaze. They locked eye contact in a battle of glares, then a shaking hand went up to his cheek. When horror filled his cyan eyes, the brunette took a step back, her own hand quivering. It stung from where her skin had made contact with her son’s._

_“W-Wait…! Max, wait, I'm-” the young woman stuttered, reaching for him. But the boy had already turned and fled, but not before chucking his favorite teddy bear at Gwen’s feet. Quiet sobs racking his chest, Max leapt onto the window sill, threw it open, and jumped out the window. Gwen screamed, running forward in a hurry. She watched Max run into the woods, then shook her head, willing her feet to move. They were frozen, planted to the ground in complete shock._

_She had slapped her son._

_She slapped him._

_Her fists clenched, she finally forced herself to move and side stepped out the window, chasing the scared child down. Gwen ignored her mother’s pitiful cries of sorrow. “Max!” she called, tears welling up in her eyes, “I'm so, so sorry! Please, stop!!”_

_But Max kept running, hot tears streaming down his cheeks, blood dripping off his palms as he shoved aside bushes and undergrowth, desperately trying to escape._

_There was no one in this world for him. There was no one on this Earth that would ever love him. No one would ever cherish him._

Head in his hands, Max cried. That was rare-he had taught himself over the years spent with his birth parents to conceal his emotions-but he did. They flowed freely, rushing down his palms and through his little fingers. Curled up underneath a bush to shield him from harsh winds and possible rain, he let his heart bleed through for once.

David, the one person he was actually beginning to trust...just gave him up like that. For that _thing._ And he had done it so _easily,_ like Max mattered nothing to him.

Fine. If nobody needed him, then the world didn't need him.

The heartbroken child stood, shakily brushing himself off. Taking a deep breath, he marched off through the woods, lips pursed. Then he stopped. Something was watching him, and he felt it. Something unnatural.

Max turned. And then he screamed.

And then the forest went silent once more.


	7. The Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit;;; okay, hear me out. Super short chapter, I know, but the next chapter is gonna be action PACKED! I'm gonna squeeze all three eyes into the next one. Then, from there out, stuff gets wild.
> 
> Probably. I'm not sure to be honest, lol, but this'll have a mildly good ending. With surprises ;)
> 
> Again, so sorry for short chapter!! But prepare for the next one! It'll be good.
> 
> Thanks for all the support, guys <3 still, every comment keeps me going. Especially with the support on "Deadly Obsession"!!!! Oh my god it's so amaZing!  
> Thanks again!!!

Birds were singing outside, the sun out and beaming brightly down on the Pink Palace Apartments. All was calm at the moment. 

But only for a moment.

David was awaking, stretching and yawning as he rolled out of bed. He rubbed his eyes, glancing around his room.  _ This’ll be the last time I sleep by myself... _ he thought, giddy, and stood.  _From now on, I'll be living a happy life with my dream partner! Well, I mean, I never wanted to love a...thing...but he's such a dreamy guy! I'll be so happy forever._

And those happy thoughts stayed. There was no guilt, no remorse as he made his way down the stairs in his favorite green t-shirt and brown shorts. There was no dread gathering in the pit of his stomach as he picked up his bandana from its place on the coffee table in the living room. He tied it around his neck, humming. It felt nice on his bare neck. Then, satisfied with the yellow cloth, he turned around. With a large smile plastered joyously on his face, David walked over and crouched in front of the door, hand outstretched. The red head’s breath caught in his throat and he hesitated.

_ Daniel won't hate me for leaving, would he? _

A pause.

_ No, no. Of course not. He isn't like Max…  _

Then his palm felt the cool metal of the key twist in the lock, the click signaling it was open. Unlike last time, David took care to not ruin his clothes on the dirty flooring of the tunnel, wanting to look his best today. 

He pushed the tiny door open, poking his head out of the doorway. Everything was silent and dark, but the room was strangely back to normal. No liquidy furniture. David appreciated this and crawled out, dusting himself off like usual and grimacing when he noticed a dark purple stain on the edge of his shorts. He tried to rub it out, to no avail, then gave up. Hopefully Daniel wouldn't notice it; after all, it wasn't his fault that cramped hall between worlds was messy.

Inching forwards excitedly albeit cautiously, the green-eyed man immediately headed towards the kitchen, spotting a golden light emitting from the door frame, along with a heavenly smell.  _ Daniel must be in there...he couldn't possibly be making breakfast for me, could he? He's probably so mad...golly…  _ But then something made him stop.

Down the hall, David noticed the mirror. The same one he was trapped inside yesterday.  _ Poor kids,  _ he thought with a pang,  _ I really should ask Daniel where their eyes are.  _  Then he froze.

The redhead’s reflection in the mirror faded, replaced with a shivering, dark-skinned child. His hair clung to the sides of his face, coated in snow.  _ Max.  _ He lifted his small hand and placed it against the frost-bitten mirror. He wrote out,  _ ‘Help me’  _ on the glass, his finger quickly turning a shade of unhealthy blue.

David’s eyes widened and he ran forward silently, stopping in front of the mirror. He placed his pale hand on it, the bitter coldness stinging his palm. Quickly, his hand was retracted and Max’s cyan eyes gazed up at him with so much fear that David’s heart broke a little more. Then the image was gone, and he was left staring at himself.

_ Daniel took Max?! Gosh-! _

_ Why do you care?  _ a voice in the back of his head asked him, and David stiffened.  _ He hates you now. _

He shook his head, hand on the mirror balling into a fist.  _ No one deserves to freeze to death, gosh dang it! _

The young man turned away, taking a deep breath. Things were never easy, were they?

He walked away, calming himself down. As he stepped into the kitchen, he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He wondered if Daniel knew that he had seen that. “Danny,” he tried affectionately. However, he couldn't keep the tightness out of his voice.

The blonde didn't turn around, still swaying his hips as he poked at the sizzling bacon in his skillet. “Good morning, David,” he replied, even though the sky outside was always dark and starry. His voice was completely blank.

David tugged at the bandana around his neck, feeling nervous beads of sweat start to gather on his forehead. “You know I'm not going to leave again, right? I'm sorry. I-I...I lo-”

Daniel cut him off. “I know you won't leave again. I'm going to make sure of that this time.” Insanity was clear in those buttons when the other spun around to face David, his grin unbelievably wide. 

Somehow, David wasn't put off but that look. It sparked desire in his veins.  _ Not right now!  _ He shoved that feeling down, straightening up. “Okay. I'm fine with that. B-But can you...can you please set Max free? And those...those kids whose souls you have imprisoned behind that mirror.”

That grin faded almost instantly off Daniel’s ghostly pale face. “What? You expect me to just let them go, especially Max?” He was shaking, and if David didn't know any better, he’d say Daniel was trying not to pick up that frying pan and slam it into something. “After what he said to  _ you? _ ”

David winced, gaze faltering a little. “You saw, d-didn't you?” He swallowed. “Daniel, I forgive him for that. He...he has every right to say that. In a way, I am abandoning him and I know he hates me now, but that's okay. I'm going to stay here with you now and be happy. Just...he doesn't need to die in order for that to happen.”

The blonde's features softened after a moment. “I see. But I can't just let them free, David. It won't feel right to me.”

And all the hope that had been blooming in his chest had been quashed in those few sentences. David’s lips contorted in a hurt frown, and be thought for a moment.

“Then...let's play a game.”

Daniel now wore a matching frown. “A game?”

“Yes. If...if I win, you'll let all of them go, safe and sound.”

“But what do I get if  _ I  _ win?”

David closed his eyes, trying to think. What  _ could  _ he offer? He was already choosing to stay with Daniel forever. There wasn't really anything he could give that would suffice. But before he could open his mouth to speak, the blonde said,

“Actually, I know. I want your soul.”

“My soul? Are you going to e-eat me?”

Hurt crossed his face. “Of course not,” he mused, distressed. “As in your soul, I mean control over you. I want to...I want you to do my complete bidding. No free will.”

The redhead felt a shiver tingle his spin.  _ Oh my gosh, seriously, hormones, not now!  _ “O-Oh,” he stuttered simply, taken back. “I see...well, then, let's play an exploring game.”

Daniel raised a brow, intrigued. “Everyone likes exploring games,” he mused.

“So you're okay with that?”

“I am. So, is it a deal?”

“Not until you give me a clue,” David said, biting his lip.

The blonde turned away, gathering the bacon onto a plate and turning the stove off. He walked over slowly, setting the plate in front of David. He then gracefully kneeled over, cupping the redhead’s cheeks in his cold hands and turned him so their gaze locked. “ _ In each three wonders I've made just for you, a ghost eye is hidden in plain sight.” _

David frowned a little, confused as the other moved away, a smirk dancing on his lips. Then the green-eyed man looked down at the food before him. And after a long moment, he nodded. “It's a deal, then,” he replied, turning and offering an outstretched hand.

But Daniel was gone. The only noise now was the facet, which dripped water every few seconds.  _ Plip. Plop. Plip. Plop. _

David stood, ignoring the food. He wasn't very hungry anyway, and he knew there was no time to waste.

“Three wonders’?” he asked himself. “What does that mean?”

He glanced around the empty kitchen, taking a deep breath.  _ Don’t panic. Everything will be fine. You’ll win, David, and be the hero you’ve always dreamed of being! _ he thought, a small smile creeping onto his face.  _ Now, try and decode the clue!  _

There he stood, contemplating the clue Daniel had given him. He rubbed his chin, humming in frustration. Then,

“UGH!” he shouted, throwing his hands up dramatically. “I have  _ no  _ idea!” Then he sighed softly. “I might as well...walk around. I could try asking the neighbors!”

So he did; David turned, bracing himself for whatever challenges would come next, and headed towards the door. The redhead stepped outside, glancing around. When he saw nothing out of the ordinary, he began walking the path that wound around the apartments and towards the gardens. Then David stopped.

The garden was dead. All those beautiful flowers that bloomed and glowed against the starry night sky-they were all dead. Shriveled up and crusted where they laid and rested. David suppressed a shiver and hugged himself.   


It was not a pretty sight in the slightest.

Of course, he started walking towards it. Everything screamed at him to turn around, to go running back to Daniel in fear. The garden seemed to crawl and lurk with dangers of all kinds.  _ I won't turn around. I've got to free these souls! For Gwen...and her grandmother. And I have to save Max.  _ David was determined not to hide in fear. He’d get through this.  _ I will.  _

He walked through the garden of death, shaking and biting his lip. It was creepy, and it was really getting to him.  _ Oh gosh!  _ He suddenly stopped.

“What exactly am I looking for?” David gulped. “A-Actual eyeballs?” he asked the sky, shuttering. Panic gripped his insides.  _ Daniel never told me what it is I'm looking for. _

 

“I'm  _ fucked. _ ” **  
**  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the next chapter will be really action-packed and stuff, it may take me a while to write it all out. Hopefully not much longer than a week, but we'll have to see. Exams are this week and I gotta worry about not failing;;;
> 
> Thanks for understanding!
> 
> Also, I finally made a Tumblr! --> supreme-meme


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